Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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406. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of recent discussions he had with the EU Commissioner in relation to the need to review the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62622/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Securing Ireland’s nitrates derogation has been my number one priority since I was appointed Minister last January.

In the context of the good work that Ireland is doing on actions to improve water quality and Ireland’s request for continuance of our Nitrates Derogation, I felt it was important to invite the European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, to visit Ireland.

During her visit last week, Commissioner Roswall met a father and daughter team on their farm in Kildare to see first hand the work of Irish dairy farmers to reduce agriculture's impact on water and the necessity for certainty regarding retention of our Nitrates Derogation.

As part of her visit, the Commissioner also met Irish MEPs, members of the joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food as well as the joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy, farm organisations and other interested parties.

It was an important visit at a crucial stage in our negotiations. We had some constructive discussions and I believe it was useful in terms of facilitating the Commissioner to further her own personal understanding of the unique grass-based nature of Irish agriculture and the work our farmers are engaged in regarding improving water quality.

The Government continues to engage intensively with the European Commission on this matter, aiming to achieve a fair deal for our farmers which will also drive improvements in our water quality.