Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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193. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the regulatory position regarding the stocking rate limit of 170kg organic nitrogen per hectare. [40896/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU Nitrates Directive and Ireland's National Nitrates Action Programme limit the amount of nitrogen from livestock manure which may be applied to land each year, including by the animals themselves, to 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare per annum. On 27 February 2014, after lengthy negotiation, the EU Nitrates Management Committee renewed Ireland’s derogation which enables farmers who meet strict conditions to increase this application limit to 250kg of nitrogen per hectare per annum. This derogation was given effect by an EU Decision and is transposed into Irish law by the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

My Department, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has commenced the process of a review of the Nitrates Action Programme prior to formal engagement with the European Commission with a view to having a new Nitrates Action Programme in place by 2018 , to run up to 2021. A request for a new nitrates derogation will be submitted to the Commission as part of the review process. A full consultation process will be carried out in early 2017 as part of this review and any issues raised by stakeholders will be considered as part of that process.