Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the implications of the proposed nitrates action plan for commercial pig production; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37791/05]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the pig sector has been singled out for more stringent requirements under the nitrates action plan than other sectors of agriculture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37793/05]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if farmers importing pig manure from pig farmers will be able to obtain a derogation to allow them to apply more than 170 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare under the nitrates action plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37794/05]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the Government proposes to provide financial assistance to pig producers forced to cease production as a result of the nitrates action plan as has occurred under similar circumstances in the Netherlands and the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37795/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 349 to 351, inclusive, together.

The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Ireland's national action programme under the nitrates directive was formally submitted to the European Commission on 29 July 2005. Following a consultation process, regulations giving legal effect to the action programme are being finalised. Ireland is proceeding with a case for a derogation designed to allow certain farmers to operate, under appropriate conditions and controls, up to a level of 250 kg N org/ha/annum. The derogation proposes to cater largely for grassland holdings.

The action programme will inevitably have implications for some pig producers. Throughout the discussions on Ireland's proposals, the European Commission took a firm position on the minimum storage capacity required for this sector. It has also insisted that such storage facilities must be put in place at the earliest possible date. The nitrates action programme consequently provides that a storage capacity of 26 weeks is required for pigs and must be in place by 31 December 2006. However, a lesser storage requirement applies to smaller holdings on condition that they have adequate spreadlands to utilise all the manure on the holding, without exceeding nitrogen and phosphorus limits.

While implementation of the action programme will certainly have implications for some pig producers, I believe that the level of anxiety expressed in some quarters is excessive. I put proposals to the European Commission for a substantially improved farm waste management scheme to which, for the first time, pig producers will have access. Among other new elements, the scheme will provide for grants for specialised equipment with specific environmental advantages. I also intend to introduce a scheme to support the demonstration of new technologies to help the agriculture sector meet the requirements of the nitrates directive. The purpose of the scheme, details of which are being finalised at present with a view to an early introduction, is to examine new and emerging technologies for the treatment and possible use in bio-energy production of livestock manures, in particular from the pig and poultry sectors.

The other issue facing pig producers is access to enough land to spread the quantities of slurry produced on their holdings in a way that meets the nutrient limits and other requirements of the action programme. I am acutely conscious of the need for pig farmers to continue to have adequate spreadlands for pig slurry. In that context I ask Teagasc to undertake an active promotion campaign to demonstrate the nutrient value of slurry and the savings farmers can achieve by substituting it for chemical fertiliser. I will urge REPS planners to encourage their clients to use pig manure on their farms. I will also seek to ensure that the necessary record-keeping and inspection regimes are kept to what is strictly necessary.

Furthermore, there is much that farm organisations and individual farmers can do to promote the use of imported organic fertilisers such as pig slurry. It is in the interests of other farming sectors, such as the tillage sector that provides feed, to assist intensive pig producers by considering the use of manure on their crops. Pig producers also need to be proactive in identifying and encouraging suitable recipients to take and utilise their manure. I encourage the farm organisations to explore these possibilities.

While substantial grant aid is offered to help farmers comply with the nitrates directive, European Union legislation will not allow compensation to be paid to a farmer or any other person whose enterprise becomes unviable as a result of environmental legislation. A buy-out scheme was introduced in the Netherlands because of the extremely high pig numbers in that country. My understanding of the UK scheme, which dates back several years, is that it concerned a fundamental restructuring of the pig industry in that country rather than any specific issue relating to environmental legislation. The Irish pig industry, however, continues to generate income not only for producers but also for a significant processing industry that depends on a sustained and stable level of pig production for its future viability. There is a ready market for the amount of pigmeat being produced at present. It is important that we maintain existing levels of pig output, as reduced output would lead to lower export levels and more imports.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 348: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a whole territory approach was adopted in the application of the nitrates action plan when a nitrate vulnerable zone approach identifying those areas where groundwater is considered vulnerable could have been adopted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37792/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The decision to adopt a whole territory approach was taken by the Government, and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government made the necessary regulations to this effect on 29 May 2003. The recommendations in favour of adopting the whole territory approach were based on consultation between the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, my Department and Teagasc. It was considered that this approach was the better option in terms of ensuring environmental protection on a national scale. The whole territory approach also had the merit of equity in that it would apply the same principles of good agricultural practice in all areas, whereas farmers located within designated nitrate vulnerable zones would be at a significant competitive disadvantage. It allowed for the regulatory burden on farmers to be kept to the minimum necessary. It was also compatible with Ireland's on-going obligations to implement other EU directives, such as the groundwater directive, which must be addressed on a national scale.

I am satisfied that all of the reasons for that decision remain valid. While substantial grant aid is offered to help farmers comply with the nitrates directive, European Union legislation will not allow compensation to be paid to a farmer or any other person whose enterprise becomes unviable as a result of environmental legislation. A buy-out scheme was introduced in the Netherlands because of the extremely high pig numbers in that country. My understanding of the UK scheme, which dates back several years, is that it concerned a fundamental restructuring of the pig industry in that country rather than any specific issue relating to environmental legislation. The Irish pig industry, however, continues to generate income not only for producers but also for a significant processing industry that depends on a sustained and stable level of pig production for its future viability. There is a ready market for the amount of pigmeat being produced at present. It is important that we maintain existing levels of pig output, as reduced output would lead to lower export levels and more imports.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 352: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of licensed pig farmers in County Kerry; if an analysis has been carried out on the possible effects of the nitrates directive on pig production in the county; if the directive will make it impossible for farmers to continue in production due to the availability of suitable land to spread slurry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37807/05]

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. The licensing of pig farmers is a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency where the numbers of pigs are greater than the thresholds specified in the Protection of the Environment Act 2003. I understand one pig unit in County Kerry is licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency and two more are at application stage.

Ireland's national action programme under the nitrates directive was formally submitted to the European Commission on 29 July 2005. Following a consultation process, regulations giving legal effect to the action programme are being finalised. Ireland is proceeding with the case for a derogation designed to allow certain farmers to operate, under appropriate conditions and controls, up to a level of 250 kg organic nitrogen per hectare per annum. The derogation proposes to cater largely for grassland holdings. Discussions with the Commission on the derogation are already under way. The detailed conditions that will apply to farmers seeking a derogation will be matters for negotiation with the EU Commission and ultimately will be subject to approval by the EU nitrates committee. I will seek to ensure that any application procedures, record-keeping and inspection regimes arising in connection with a derogation are kept to what is strictly necessary.

Throughout the discussions on Ireland's proposals, the European Commission took a firm position on the minimum storage capacity required for pig producers and also insisted that such storage facilities must be put in place at the earliest possible date. Accordingly a storage capacity of 26 weeks is required for pigs and must be in place by 31 December 2006. However, for small units a lesser storage requirement, 16, 18, 20 or 22 weeks depending on the zone, applies to holdings with 100 pigs or less, conditional on the holding having adequate spreadlands to utilise all the manure on the holding without exceeding nitrogen and phosphorus limits.

The implementation of the nitrates action programme will inevitably have implications for pig producers. Regarding the availability of land to spread slurry, however, I believe the level of anxiety expressed in some quarters is excessive. I will ask Teagasc to undertake an active promotion campaign to demonstrate the nutrient value of slurry and the savings that farmers can achieve by substituting it for chemical fertiliser, and I will urge REPS planners to encourage their clients to use pig manure on their farms. I will also seek to ensure that the necessary record-keeping and inspection regimes are kept to what is strictly necessary.

There is much that farm organisations themselves and individual farmers can do to promote the use of imported organic fertilisers such as pig slurry. It is in the interests of other farming sectors, such as the tillage sector that provides feed, to assist the intensive pig producers by considering the use of manure on their crops. Pig producers also need to be pro-active in identifying and encouraging suitable recipients to take and utilise their manure. I would encourage the farm organisations to explore these possibilities.

To assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the nitrates action programme, I announced details of a proposed revised farm waste management scheme for which EU approval is now sought. I hope early approval of the scheme will be forthcoming from the European Commission so that it can be introduced quickly. Under these proposals, pig and poultry producers will be eligible for the first time for on-farm investment aid, and grants of up to 70% will be available. Among other new elements, the scheme will introduce a new 40% grant rate for specialised equipment with specific environmental advantages subject to maximum eligible investment of €80,000 in the case of decanter centrifuge systems and dry feeding systems for pigs and €40,000 in the case of specialised slurry spreading tankers and related equipment. The scheme will increase the maximum eligible investment for standard mobile equipment from €11,000 to €15,000 with a grant rate of 20%.

I also intend to introduce a scheme to support the demonstration of new technologies to help the agriculture sector meet the requirements of the nitrates directive. The purpose of the scheme, details of which are being finalised at present with a view to an early introduction, is to examine new and emerging technologies for the treatment and possible use in bio-energy production of livestock manures, in particular from the pig and poultry sectors.