Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I thank the Senator for raising this very important matter. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, I thank her for allowing us to discuss the importance of the nitrates derogation. As the Senator has correctly said, the Minister is in Brussels today to meet with Commissioner Roswall, who has responsibility for the environment, on this very matter, so the Senator's timing is brilliant.

Securing an extension of Ireland's derogation remains a key Government priority. Irish agriculture is different from farming on the Continent. Our outdoor system of livestock farming, coupled with the high yielding crop of grass, high rainfall and a long growing season, is central to our justification for the derogation we so desperately need. Maintaining the derogation is critical not only for the economic sustainability of farm enterprises currently availing of it but also for the broader rural economy.

Ultimately, the rules on nitrates are about protecting water quality. Led by Government, there is unprecedented engagement across the entire agrifood sector to protect our water quality. This work will continue as farmers, the agrifood processing industry and the Government share a common objective and commitment. In addition, we will have to demonstrate that we are doing what is necessary to protect valuable habitats under the habitats directive.

In many cases, the Government is providing financial and other supports for farmers going beyond regulatory requirements to improve water quality. For example, the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership, which has a budget of €60 million and which commenced last year, provides financial support for specific targeted actions. To date, more than 4,200 farmers have applied for this support. Our aim is to support 15,000 farmers by 2029, which is very significant. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is also providing TAMS grant support for capital investments in low-emissions slurry spreading equipment and manure storage.Since 2015, a total of more than €138 million has been paid to support significant investments in family farms in manure storage and low-emissions slurry spreading technology. Almost 54,000 farmers are participating in the agri-climate rural environmental scheme, ACRES, which includes water protection quality and using the principle of the right measure in the right place. The Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins has also made significant progress towards the introduction of a targeted exemption threshold for stand-alone manure storage under the exempted development regulations. This will be in place in the coming weeks. This is also very significant.

There have been a number of significant developments in securing an extension of Ireland’s derogation and it is important to update the Seanad accordingly. First, a Cabinet committee on water quality chaired by an Taoiseach was established in March to co-ordinate efforts to secure the derogation. The Taoiseach raised the importance of our derogation with the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The Minister, Deputy Heydon has also discussed the matter with Commissioner Roswall and is meeting with the Commissioner today in Brussels to advance the case for renewal, as I already stated. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is in ongoing contact with its commission and member state counterparts in Brussels, most recently making the case for the renewal at the EU nitrates committee on Friday last. On Monday, 15 September, the Minister welcomed the delegation of senior commission officials to Ireland to discuss the renewal and that team visited a dairy farm to see the work under way to protect water quality.

The programme for Government states that the Government will do everything in its power to make the case at EU level to secure retention of the derogation. The Government continues to work intensively on this. Although this will be a challenging process, the Government remains fully committed to working with farmers and the broader industry to develop the best case possible for the renewal of the derogation from 1 January, 2026. It is critically important that we all get behind the twin objectives of improving water quality and securing Ireland’s next derogation.