James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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124. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the Derogation with the EU; his views on whether it will stay at current levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66744/25]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the up-to-date position on retention of the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66418/25]

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the recent visit of Commissioner Roswall to Ireland, and on talks he had with the commissioner regarding Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation. [66471/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he proposes to have further discussions at an early date with the EU Commissioner for the Environment in relation to the need to retain the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66610/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on recent contacts his Department has had with the EU Commission and other EU bodies/agencies in relation to the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66656/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 132, 156, 160 and 177 together.

At the EU Nitrates Committee meeting last December, my Department advised that in accordance with the Nitrates Directive, Ireland is seeking 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 Directive’s objectives.

Since last December Ireland has made a number of presentations to the EU Nitrates Committee and there has been very significant engagement at a European level.

The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA presented on Irish water quality at the Nitrates Committee meeting in March.

In June my Department presented on Irish agriculture in a European context, the justification for our derogation, and the changes introduced during Ireland’s current Nitrates Action Programme or NAP.

At the September meeting of the Committee my Department, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, presented on the background to Ireland’s next NAP and our derogation request, as well as proposed measures that are now under public consultation regarding the next NAP.

All these presentations were well received by the Committee.

In June, the Commission wrote to Ireland regarding the need to demonstrate compliance with the Habitats Directive in addition to the need to meet the objectives set under the Water Framework Directive. This change has significant implications. The Government has engaged significantly with the Commission and stakeholders in response.

As part of this, I recently welcomed Commissioner Roswall to Ireland where she witnessed our unique grass-based system and the on-going work across the agrifood sector to reduce its impact on water quality. The visit included a very positive visit to a derogation farm in Kildare. The Commissioner also met farm organisations, eNGO’s, Oireachtas members, MEP’s and officials.

Engagement is on-going with the intention of securing the necessary qualified majority vote on Ireland’s derogation at the Nitrates Committee.

A qualified majority vote requires at least 15 Member States, representing at least 65% of the EU population to support a proposal brought forward by the Commission.

The priority for this government is both to retain the nitrates derogation and to improve water quality. I remain confident regarding achievement of these twin objectives.