Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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723. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to extend the transitional arrangements for the nitrates directive, in order that their eventual discontinuation can be negotiated within the scope of the full review on the basis of introducing additional measures to encourage the use of organic fertilisers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11920/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been liaising with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government which is the lead Department with respect to these regulations.

The transitional provisions of ‘The Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Water Regulations 2014’ or ‘Nitrates Regulations’ had provided for phosphorus levels in excess of the maximum fertilisation rate, where pig manure, poultry manure or spent mushroom compost is applied. This provision ended on 31 December 2016 having been introduced over 10 years ago.

In order to assist the pig sector with the ending of the transitional provisions the following immediate action has been taken –

- My Department has contacted Teagasc who are continuing to promote the use of livestock manures as valuable fertilisers.

- Pig manure imported onto a holding in the closed period in 2017 will be treated as inventory for application in 2018, rather than being considered as applied in the year of importation.

- My Department is contacting all intensive pig farmers in order to request their permission to make their details available to agricultural advisors to highlight to farmers local to them the availability and value of pig manure.

Through the implementation of these activities it is expected that the impact of the ending of the transitional provisions will be minimised. A public consultation period for the Nitrates Regulations has commenced led by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and assisted by my Department. This is an opportune time for the industry to bring forward suggestions to make best use of organic fertiliser while maintaining water quality standards.