Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the flawed research data furnished by Teagasc in support of fertiliser restrictions and maximum legal limits in the nitrates action programme which would adversely impact on the pig and poultry industries, dairy and cattle farming will be removed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3685/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the first instance. The regulations to give legal effect to the nitrates action programme were signed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in December 2005 and came into effect on 1 February 2006.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and my Department engaged in prolonged and difficult discussions with the European Commission on Ireland's proposals to implement the nitrates directive. During that process Teagasc was consulted on an ongoing basis on the content of the various drafts of the action programme, the regulations and the proposals for a derogation from the general limit for organic nitrogen.

The nitrates directive requires legal certainty in the implementation of the action programme. In that context the Commission indicated that the fertilisation standards, based on crop needs, must be expressed as legally binding standards. The critical tables on nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisation rates in the regulations are in line with good agricultural practice and the agronomic requirements of crops as defined by Teagasc.

The board of Teagasc indicated recently that it may be possible to review part of its previous advice as regards phosphorous limits in a way that could improve the effectiveness of the regulations. Subsequently the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government announced on 27 January 2006 that, in consultation with the European Commission, he has agreed to a short deferral of Part 3 of the regulations.

Both the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I have made it clear that if revised phosphorus tables are brought forward by Teagasc and supported by robust underlying science, then the Government is prepared to make a case to the European Commission whose agreement is required for any revision to the current limits.