Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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448. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department is preparing to support derogation farmers in the event that Ireland is unable to secure a further extension of the Nitrates Derogation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65974/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to seeking to retain the nitrates derogation and the dual objective of improving water quality.

Earlier this month I 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.

Indeed, there is currently very significant engagement across the entire agrifood sector to improve water quality. It is vital that we continue and build on this and retention of the derogation will be paramount in this regard.

Significant resources and funding have been made available, both by industry and by Government, to facilitate an improvement in water quality, including the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme or ASSAP where we now have 20 State funded specialist water quality advisors complemented by a further 40 advisors funded by industry providing free advice to farmers in priority areas for action.

The €60m 'Farming for Water' European Innovation Partnership (EIP) is funded by my Department along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Led by LAWPRO, it is building on ASSAP's work by providing funding to support farmers to adopt specific targeted additional measures above regulatory requirements.

Teagasc's 'Better Farming for Water' Campaign is promoting key actions for change related to nutrient management, farmyard management and land management, and many dairy co-ops have developed sustainability schemes setting standards for environmental protection, including water quality.

Accelerated Capital Allowances are available for investment in slurry storage, allowing the investment to be written off against tax over just two years.

For farmers going beyond regulatory requirements, my Department is also providing TAMS grant aid support for low emission slurry spreading equipment and manure storage. Since 2015 a total of over €153m has been paid to support investments on family farms in manure storage and low emission slurry spreading technology.

All these actions will require time before their full water quality impact becomes visible. However, firmly believe the industry is willing to continue working hard to reduce its impact.

To achieve this we must recognise the work that is taking place.

My Department will continue engaging with the European Commission and our fellow Member States to ensure we get the best possible outcome for Ireland post-2025, both to retain the nitrates derogation as well as to improve water quality. I remain confident regarding achievement of these twin objectives.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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449. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has concerns over Ireland’s nitrates derogation in light of repeated EPA warnings regarding nutrient pollution in rivers and lakes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59710/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Retaining Ireland's nitrates derogation is a key Government priority justified by Ireland's unique grass-based system and the engagement that is taking place across our agrifood sector to reduce its impact on water quality.

The EPA Water Quality report 2019-2024, published in October, confirms that 52% of surface waters are in a satisfactory ecological condition. This is an overall decline from 54% since the 2016-2021 assessment. However, the EPA report also identifies there has been a reduction in nitrogen concentrations in rivers since the last assessment period especially within the south, southeast and east of the country.

In addition, the EPA report highlights that where there has been coordinated and targeted action, phosphorus levels are reducing. This demonstrates that the “targeting the right measure in the right place” approach works.

It is critically important that the great work taking place on farms to reduce agriculture’s impact continues and intensifies as called for by the EPA.

The way we will achieve this is through the proposed next Nitrates Action Programme, which is currently open to public consultation, along with securing Ireland’s next nitrates derogation. To achieve progress there is a need to recognise the efforts being made across the agrifood sector to reduce its impact on water quality.

It is also important to bear in mind that the loss of Ireland's nitrates derogation may have negative unintended consequences.

An environmental and economic modelling report from Teagasc, commissioned by my Department, shows removal of the derogation risks resulting in a move away from our grass-based system. Such a move would be negative for biodiversity and may do nothing to improve water quality.

The loss of the derogation would likely increase demand for land to offset the impact of reduced stocking rate limits.

Competition for such land would impact all sectors and may also impact on our ambitions to increase the area under organics and forestry, which are also key government priorities.