Mattie McGrath demands clarity on nitrates derogation for farmers
Mattie McGrath pressed the Government on farmers' concerns over nitrates rules and urged that the directive be maintained at current levels. The minister responded that talks with the Commission are at a critical stage, with Commissioner Roswell scheduled to visit and detailed proposals being prepared.
Several large meetings were cited by the speaker, including a reported thousand farmers in Cormac and a couple of thousand in Fermoy, where attendees expressed frustration and demanded clear scientific standards and certainty about future rules.
Mattie McGrath insisted that the "night waste directive" be maintained at its current level, arguing farmers have made substantial investments and need a clear message from the Government and the Commission going forward.
The minister emphasised the critical nature of the nitrates derogation for roughly 7,000 derogation farmers and for the wider rural economy, noting its links to land availability and other agricultural measures.
The minister said Commissioner Roswell has accepted an invitation to visit and will be shown a derogation farm. Officials have met previously in Brussels and on farms, and the minister said detailed proposals are being put to the Commission as negotiations reach the "endgame".
The minister acknowledged the complexity of the talks, citing the Habitats Directive and water quality obligations, and said the current derogation expires at the end of the year with a push to secure an extension or new derogation.
Farmers' protests and meetings
Several large meetings were cited by the speaker, including a reported thousand farmers in Cormac and a couple of thousand in Fermoy, where attendees expressed frustration and demanded clear scientific standards and certainty about future rules.
Call to maintain the directive
Mattie McGrath insisted that the "night waste directive" be maintained at its current level, arguing farmers have made substantial investments and need a clear message from the Government and the Commission going forward.
Derogation importance and numbers
The minister emphasised the critical nature of the nitrates derogation for roughly 7,000 derogation farmers and for the wider rural economy, noting its links to land availability and other agricultural measures.
Engagement with the Commission
The minister said Commissioner Roswell has accepted an invitation to visit and will be shown a derogation farm. Officials have met previously in Brussels and on farms, and the minister said detailed proposals are being put to the Commission as negotiations reach the "endgame".
Negotiation challenges and deadlines
The minister acknowledged the complexity of the talks, citing the Habitats Directive and water quality obligations, and said the current derogation expires at the end of the year with a push to secure an extension or new derogation.
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Transcript
From Doonan County in Edinburgh, you celebrated a mess for the deceased members and staff this morning. Thank you for your cooperation. Minister, you spoke a few minutes ago to another TD about the night waste directive. And I'm talking about a thousand farmers that you said attended a meeting in Cormac on Monday night. They are very concerned. I'm glad the Minister Hayden is here. Farmers feel that they need it to be heard and they need the consensus to be appreciated. They have invested hugely, most of them, nearly all of them, and a huge investment in making their farms adaptable up to the current limits. But they're frustrated now because you don't seem to give them a clear message, all from Europe, as to what scientific levels you need. So it's vital that these night waste directive are maintained at the current level, despite the attacks from the left, from the media, the EPA. Who's going to provide our food? And they're doing their best. I know you're supportive of them, but the Government needs a clear message here, and a strong message to the Commissioner when she comes here. To ensure that we have clarity going forward. Thank you, and the directive is maintained. Thank you, and the directive is maintained. Count Corley, I'd like to thank Debbie McGrath for raising what is a really important issue. The nitrates derogation is critically important, not just for our 7,000 derogation farmers, many of which are in temporary, but for our overall rural economy and for all elements of agriculture, because it comes down to land availability and many other measures. This has been a top priority for me since I became Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I did attend the meeting of a couple of thousand farmers in Fermoy on Monday night. I will meet with Commissioner Roswell, who has accepted my invitation to visit Ireland here later this week. I've met with her in Brussels previously. I've met with her officials in Brussels, and here, when they visited here previously. We've had them out on farms, and I will have Commissioner Roswell on a derogation farm when she visits as well, to show her firsthand the great work our farmers are doing in terms of the higher standards they're operating to around water quality. All of this is, as we reach the endgame of our negotiations, to try and have an extension of our derogation and to get a new derogation beyond the end of this year, because our current one falls at that point. We have the Habitats Directive to address, as well as water quality. That is a very onerous undertaking, and we are putting detailed proposals to the Commission right now to get the best possible outcome agreed for our farmers.