Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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87. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the progress on the review of the nitrates action programme with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3644/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The objective of the Regulations is to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers.

My Department, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has commenced the process of review of the Nitrates Action Programme and is currently preparing to commence formal engagement with the European Commission in the coming weeks 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.