Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has said the government will not change its “absolute commitment” to retaining the nitrates derogation, despite latest water quality statistics.
The minister’s comments come after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that there was “no significant change in any of the water quality indicators” for Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters in 2023.
In its ‘Water Quality in 2023: An Indicators Report’ published today (Wednesday, June 12), the EPA identified the “biggest issue impacting water quality” last year as nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater.
When asked by Agriland about the latest EPA statistics at the 2024 Biomethane Conference held by the Renewable Gas Forum Ireland (RGFI) at Croke Park today, Minister McConalogue said:
“It doesn’t change in terms of the government commitment to supporting everyone to continue with the work of improving water [quality], nor our absolute commitment to retain the derogation.”
The government is also committed to work at European level to “convince” member states of the particular circumstances in Ireland and the work being undertaken, as well as our commitment to improving water quality, the minister said.
“There is every reason in Ireland why we should be able to have a derogation,” because the utilisation of nutrients in terms of growing and soil capacity is different from the norm and many other European countries, he said.
‘No place for reduction scheme’
Commenting on the latest EPA statistics in relation to Ireland’s water quality, Minister McConalogue reiterated that a reduction in livestock numbers is “absolutely” off the table and that he does not see “any place” for a reduction scheme.
While there has been an increase in the bovine population overall in Ireland since the abolition of the milk quota, this has “plateaued” over the last few years, according to the minister who said it is important that we use our capacity to produce food.
“We are not a heavily stocked country in terms of per hectare [population] compared to many other EU countries and we have great capacity to produce food through livestock here,” Minister McConalogue said.
All livestock sectors and the tillage sector have to make sure that nutrient use does not impact on water quality, he said, and stressed that managing nutrients well and protecting water quality is essential to keeping the derogation.
Water quality
“What is really important is that we do take the various steps that can deliver those improvements [and] supporting farmers to do so to make sure we have a robust system and that everyone is taking their part.
“Then there is the political engagement at European level to convince other member states and assure [them] that we have taken a robust approach that will deliver results and to seek their support for maintaining the derogation,” he said.
Minister McConalogue highlighted that there has already been a 30% reduction in the use of chemical fertiliser on farms in the last two years, and that some of the rules around spreading organic manure have been tightened.
A lot of the work has been ongoing, the minister said referencing the recently launched Better Farming for Water campaign to step up further engagement with farmers and to make sure we are taking all of the steps we can to improve water quality.
Acknowledging that there needs to be more done to improve water quality, he said some of the measures taken need time to show their impact. He also stressed the importance of water quality improvements in urban wastewater.