Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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74. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements with his Cabinet colleagues and the European Commission regarding Ireland's nitrates derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38162/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In May of this year, together with Minister O'Brien, under whose Department the Nitrates Regulations sit, I brought a Memo to Cabinet on the topic of renewal of Ireland's Nitrates Derogation and my intention to publish a planned approach to building a case for that renewal. I sought a whole of Government approach in support of this aim and was pleased that this support was unequivocally secured.

In August I published that plan: 'Water and Agriculture - a collaborative approach'.

It addresses the twin objectives of improving water quality and government's objective of securing Ireland's next Nitrates Derogation. The document includes a range of measures that are currently underway and new measures that will commence shortly including, amongst others, the presence of 50 state and industry funded 'water quality advisors' working with farmers on the ground, a €60m 'Farming for Water' European Innovation Partnership or EIP, a 'Better Farming for Water' advisory campaign, the 70% Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme (NISS), as well as a new 'exempted development' threshold for 'stand-alone' nutrient storage facilities that will be provided for as part of a review of the planning regulations, following enactment of the Planning Bill.

Within the Memo and the Plan, I referenced my invitation to the European Commission to visit Ireland to see at first-hand the work being done to improve water quality.

In response, officials from the Commission Services visited Ireland last week. In addition to my meeting the delegation on-farm together with Minister of State Hackett and Minister of State Heydon, my Department organised visits to a number of other farms as well as engagements involving the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage, the EPA, Teagasc, the Local Authorities Wates Programme and ASSAP, the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme, industry representatives and the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group.

These engagements highlighted the on-going work and engagement that now exists right across the agri-food industry to reduce agriculture's impact on water quality. During their visit, the Commission recognised the current momentum around water quality and in particular that everyone in the agri-food sector is working together with one common objective of improving water quality.

Separately I wish to advise that the European Commission is currently conducting an evaluation of the Nitrates Directive. My officials along with officials in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the other Member States are feeding into that evaluation process.

Finally I would like to re-iterate that the Irish government is fully committed to the twin objectives of seeking a further nitrates derogation and improving water quality.