Govt Plan for Renewal of Nitrates Derogation Must Deliver

IFA President Francie Gorman said it’s critical that the Government’s Water and Agriculture document published this morning delivers on its commitments and secures a renewal of our Nitrates derogation.

“This plan is an important step in working to secure a renewal of our derogation. It is vital that the targets set out in the document are followed up and delivered upon, including a fast-tracking of the planning process for nutrient storage facilities, something IFA had put forward,” he said.

The document also contains a proposal for a separate €90,000 nutrient storage ceiling, with a grant rate of 60%.

“The proposal to have a separate ceiling for nutrient storage is a sensible approach. However, along with this we need a grant rate of 70% and updated costings to ensure this is the true grant rate that farmers secure. Also, as we set out in our pre-Budget submission, it is vital that this funding comes from the Climate and Nature Fund rather than CAP funding.”

Francie Gorman said he looked forward to working with John Comer, who has been appointed as chair of the Water Quality Working Group.

IFA Environment chair John Murphy said it’s imperative that the economic and environmental modelling proposed in the document is completed as a matter of urgency.

“The Nitrates derogation is of massive economic and social benefit to the agriculture sector and the wider rural economy; that is why we cannot even countenance a situation where it is not renewed.”

“The plan to complete environmental modelling is also of critical importance. This has to also include an assessment of the impact of Irish Water’s wastewater treatment plants on water quality. We know that there were hundreds of non-compliance incidents in these plants reported to the EPA last year. These must be stamped out as part of this whole-of-Government approach to fixing water quality,” he concluded.