Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1664.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the recent engagements he and his Department have had with the EU regarding the nitrates derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32105/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In April my officials, along with officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, held a bilateral meeting with the Commission Services to discuss Ireland's Nitrates Derogation, the interim review of the Nitrates Action Programme and the work that is currently taking place across Ireland's agri-food industry to reduce agriculture’s impact on water quality.

In May I wrote to Commissioner Sinkevicius as follow-up to a commitment made during his visit to Ireland last November.

In June on the margins of the Commission's Nitrates Committee and Expert Group meetings involving EU Member States, my officials informally met the Commission Services. At this stage there were discussions regarding the interim review of the Nitrates Action Programme, recently published Environment Protection Agency Irish water quality data as well as Teagasc's recently launched multi-actor water quality advisory campaign.

During this period my Department also actively fed into the Commission's public consultation and discussions at the Nitrates Committee regarding the Commission's proposed amendment of the Nitrates Directive as regards processed livestock manure. My officials also actively participated in the Commission's ongoing evaluation of the Nitrates Directive and in addition Ireland's interim Nitrates Derogation report for 2023 was submitted to the Commission.