Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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531. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the nitrates derogation for farmers and the revised nitrates action programme post-2021. [52778/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, 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).

In accordance with the Nitrates Directive, Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme is due for review this year.  Negotiations with the European Commission with a view to having a revised Nitrates Action Programme for 2018-2021 in place by the end of 2017 are at an advanced stage.

It would be inappropriate to anticipate any outcomes of the current review process of the Nitrates Action Programme for 2018-2021 in advance of its conclusion.  It is not possible to comment on any possible Regulations post 2021 as the review process that would lead to a post-2021 Nitrates Action Plan would not commence until 2020 at the earliest.