Written answers

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Department of Agriculture and Food

Farm Inspections

11:00 pm

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason county councils are continuing to carry out on farm inspections, which ignore his statement of the 24 April 2009 which stated that his Department's inspectorate are to undertake nitrates' regulations inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26055/09]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Inspections to meet the requirements of the Nitrates Regulations are undertaken by my Department. The Department's inspectors currently undertake all on-farm cross-compliance inspections, including checks for compliance with the Nitrates Regulations and have considerable expertise in this area.

On farm inspections are also required under the EU Water Framework Directive which is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In my statement on 24 April I indicated, my objective to ensure that the duplication of on-farm inspections is avoided for practical reasons, to minimise costs and to simplify the inspection arrangements from the farmer's perspective. Discussions are taking place between officials of my Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to finalise the necessary arrangements in relation to nitrates inspections.

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