Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 599: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the nitrates directive, if he plans to change the open period for County Donegal farmers in view of the rainfall recordings in 2010, which recorded County Donegal's lowest rainfall on record; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31262/10]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 613: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the nitrates directive's application in category C1, in view of the rainfall recordings for counties Donegal and Leitrim in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31663/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 613 together.

The European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2009 were developed for the purpose of giving statutory effect to Ireland's Nitrates Action Programme under the EU Nitrates Directive. The Directive requires each Member State's Action Programme to specify periods when the land application of fertilisers is prohibited. The prohibited periods in the Irish Regulations are based on a range of scientific factors, including average rainfall amounts.

The Action Programme runs for a four-year period and is under review at present. On the 11th June the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I issued a joint consultation paper, including draft amended Nitrates Regulations. It is open to all stakeholders to put forward their views on the proposals and these submissions will be considered in finalising the new Regulations. The period of public consultation ends on the 23 July 2010 and submissions must be made to my Department or to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government before that date. The consultation paper and full text of the draft Regulations is available on both Departments' websites.