Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of Ireland's application for a derogation to the nitrates directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33769/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In October 2004, Ireland submitted proposals for a derogation from the general organic nitrogen limit of 170 kg per hectare per annum laid down in the nitrates directive. The proposal was designed to allow farmers to operate, under appropriate conditions and controls, up to a level of 250 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare. My Department and Teagasc developed the derogation proposals in consultation with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The European Commission were not prepared to engage in formal discussions on the derogation proposals until Ireland's nitrates action programme was agreed. There have been preliminary discussions with the Commission, however, and Ireland's case for derogation is scheduled to receive its initial presentation to the EU nitrates committee shortly.

My Department and Teagasc will continue to work with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government toward achieving a successful outcome to our derogation application and I will press strongly to have the process concluded as early as possible in 2006.