Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of nitrates information meetings held for farmers in County Dublin; when such meetings were held; if no meetings have taken place, when they will take place; and if they have not taken place, the reason they have not. [3755/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has produced an Explanatory Handbook for farmers that sets out in clear terms their obligations under the Nitrates Regulations. This Handbook, together with a copy of the Regulations, was sent to all farmers in October 2006. Following this, a series of open information meetings took place during the period 20 November to 4 December 2006, conducted by my Department in conjunction with Teagasc.

There were 35 meetings in all, which required a very significant investment of time by expert personnel from my own Department and from Teagasc. The dates and venues of these meetings were widely publicised by way of advertisements in the farming press. Although no meeting took place in County Dublin, there were meetings in Louth, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. I am satisfied, therefore, that all interested farmers in Dublin could attend a meeting in a location that was convenient to them.