Teagasc remains in close contact with Brussels, where the development of strategies to improve Ireland’s water quality is concerned.
This was the response given by Teagasc director, Prof. Frank O’Mara, when asked if Brussels had been made aware of the details contained within the new Better Farming for Water programme.
Speaking at the launch of the new initiative, Prof. O’Mara said:
“We are very aware of the need to keep in close contact with the European Commission at all times.
“A huge amount of research has been carried out, not just where water quality is concerned, but across the whole issue of sustainability within farming and food.
“We actually visited Brussels several months ago, where we met with several of the director generals over there.”
Prof. O’Mara continued: “At that time, we had just launched the climate programme.
“We are now awaiting the election of a new European Parliament, and this should pave the way for another visit to Brussels in the autumn.”
Water quality
Meanwhile, the launch event for the new water quality programme saw Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president, Francie Gorman, highlighting the need for greater levels of slurry storage capacity to be put in place within Irish agriculture.
“But, we have a problem – it is taking too long to get TAMS’ approval for new stores.
“The same principle holds when it comes to getting the required planning permissions. Both of these processes must be sped up.”
However, the IFA president strongly defended the principle of maintaining current livestock numbers within Irish agriculture.
When asked if reductions in animal numbers could ever be conceded, he stressed the role for the new water quality programme in delivering a sustainable future for livestock farming, one that would see current output levels at least maintained.
The IFA’s president said: “This is about farmers throughout Ireland implementing the eight actions contained within the new programme.”
With regard to the need for ongoing communication with the European Commission, Gorman indicated that an IFA delegation recently visited Brussels.
“There is awareness within the Commission on these matters. We met with the farm commissioner and spoke with him at length on the water quality question.
“We also had the commissioner in Ireland last year. So, he is fully on board with the steps being taken in Ireland,” he added.