Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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322. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date in ensuring that the State retains the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22013/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Firstly, the Programme for Government clearly sets out this Governments ambition to present the best case possible for continuance of Ireland's current derogation whilst working with farmers to deliver improvements in water quality.

To that end, a Cabinet Committee on Water Quality chaired by the Taoiseach to coordinate water quality improvements across all sectors and work with farmers and industry to secure Ireland's Nitrates Derogation at EU level. This demonstrates the Government's commitments to commitment under the Programme for Government.

Last August my Department published the Nitrates Derogation renewal plan “Water and Agriculture - a collaborative approach”. This plan includes a range of measures under five key areas, including regulatory changes which have been implemented, a 70% capital investment grant aid slurry importation scheme, accelerated capital allowances for manure storage investment, a €60 million investment in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the 'Farming for Water' EIP, continuation of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) and Teagasc's multi-actor water quality advisory campaign to name a few.

My Department attend the EU Nitrates Committee meetings and at the December 2024 Nitrates Committee meeting, my Officials advised that in accordance with Paragraph 2 (b) within Annex 3 of the Nitrates Directive, Ireland wished to apply for permission to continue applying in excess of 170 kg of livestock manure nitrogen per hectare from 2026, subject to a set of conditions that will ensure that application is scientifically justified and will continue to contribute to the achievement of the Nitrates Directives objectives of reducing and preventing water pollution caused by agricultural nutrients. Since then there have been three bi-lateral meetings with the European Commission and Ireland made its first presentation for renewal of the nitrates derogation at the March Nitrates Committee meeting.

My Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will continue to engage with the European Commission to ensure we get the best possible outcome for Ireland post- 2025.