Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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93. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures underway to improve water quality in County Louth due to nitrates runoff to comply with the nitrates directive, whereby the Environmental Protection Agency has listed Castletown Estuary, County Louth in the top five worst areas having being 85% over threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36775/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Nitrates Directive has the objective of reducing and preventing water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. It is implemented in Ireland through our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) and the Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters (GAP) Regulations (SI 113 of 2022, as amended). The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are responsible for the NAP and my officials work closely with them on its development and implementation.

In implementing the Nitrates Directive, Ireland applies a whole territory approach meaning the rules under the NAP apply to all farmers across Ireland. Ireland is currently implementing its 5th NAP which is the most robust NAP to date in terms of water quality measures.

Under the current NAP, new and enhanced measures have been introduced under the GAP Regulations including a 10% reduction in the chemical nitrogen (N) allowances for grassland, introduction of dairy banding, requirements for soiled water storage, requirements for shallow cultivation on tillage ground after harvest, soil testing requirements for all arable land as well as all farms with grassland stocking rates above 130 kg N/ha and a maximum organic N limit on commonage land of 50 kg N/ha with no chemical fertiliser allowed.

Beyond the GAP Regulation, my Department has introduced the National Fertiliser Database which now provides full recording of all chemical fertilisers from point of import through to end user. In terms of compliance, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) are leading the new National Agricultural Inspection Programme which aims to have 4,500 targeted inspections completed annually at national level by the Local Authorities by the end of next year.

In addition to the NAP, other measures under national and EU funded schemes will also have benefits for water quality. These include the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS), the Multi-Species Sward Measure, the Red Clover Silage Measure and "Farming for Water", the Water European Innovation Partnership which is providing support for additional targeted measures to improve water quality in priority areas for action. Furthermore, most recently, at my request, Teagasc launched a multi-actor advisory campaign to improve water quality.

All of these measures will help to contribute to a reduction in nutrient losses from agriculture to our waters.