Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I recognise how important the dairy industry is to west Cork and to the wider rural community. As Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am committed to doing everything in my power to develop the sectors for which I am responsible and to communicate a fresh understanding of what it is. Our farmers, fishers, foresters and the food industry contribute to society and the economy as a whole.

In 2024, much of the country moved to the lower maximum derogation stocking rate of 220 kg N/ha, following the two-year water quality review required under the Commission decision granting Ireland the current nitrates derogation. However, the Commission’s criteria for that review excluded some areas where the science shows our water quality is not what it should be. As part of the additional measures introduced under the interim review of the fifth nitrates action programme, which was a commitment under our last derogation decision, with effect from December of this year, the maximum derogation stocking rate reduces to 220 kg of organic N/ha in some additional areas. This will happen where the EPA has identified a need for nitrate reduction measures to improve water that were not considered under the Commission’s criteria for the two-year water quality review. The measure becomes applicable from 1 December as it had to apply within the timeframe of the current nitrates action programme to count as a measure under this programme. This was necessary to best prepare for discussions with the European Commission regarding Ireland’s next nitrates derogation. That is the very point the Senator made. Everything I am doing around derogation, while recognising the integral importance of dairy farming for our rural economy, the community, farmers and farm families, is to make sure we continue to have a derogation. It is absolutely pivotal to everything we do.

Within this available timeframe, the December date was selected to allow farmers maximum time to prepare and manage their cows through the normal spring calving lactation cycle. In simple terms, derogation farmers in these additional areas will have a limit of 247.5 kg N/ha this year, rather than 250 kg N/ha. The rate is not dropping from 250 kg N/ha to 220 kg N/ha this year. By being able to give them the maximum amount of time until December, the rate is effectively just short of the 250 kg N/ha for this year. It will be 220 kg N/ha from next year on. This allows farmers the time and space to be able to plan for the new rate.

As the Senator said, it was flagged at the time that the map would most likely change. In addition to publishing the map of the impacted areas in March, my Department has since identified the individual land parcel identification system, LPIS, parcels involved. My officials will shortly be in a position to write individualised letters to farmers potentially impacted by this change. Access to the derogation is contingent on improving water quality across the country. The agrifood sector is engaging in significant, unprecedented and very welcome action to reduce its impact on water quality.However, securing its renewal is the top priority for me. We are already starting to see results from the work led by farmers, with the most recently published EPA data showing significantly reduced nitrates concentrations in our rivers last year.

I have visited Timoleague in recent years and seen first-hand the work under way by farmers to progress developments in water quality. I hope to visit again soon.

Government is providing significant support for farmers as they seek to improve water quality, including the free water quality advisory service and the agriculture sustainability support and advisory programme, ASSAP, which includes 20 advisers paid for by the State and my Department and a further 30 advisers supported by industry working in water quality priority areas. We have a €60 million farming for water European Innovation Partnership, EIP, supporting investment in targeted on-farm water quality actions, which has been positively received by farmers, and 60% grant aid under TAMS for investment in manure storage and low-emission slurry application machinery, supporting improved slurry management, improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing our reliance on imported chemical nitrogen.