The European Commission has proposed to extend Ireland’s current nitrates derogation by three years, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said.
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday morning, Minister Heydon said that the proposal is an extension of the current derogation with added conditionality.
“It is the case that the Commission have finally agreed to put a proposal to that nitrates committee for an extension of the existing derogation.
“It is not a new derogation. It has different terms and conditions around time and conditions. The proposal is for a nitrates derogation extension for a three-year period, with new conditionality,” he said.
He said the matter is very sensitive, as the proposal must now be voted on by the EU nitrates committee on 9 December.
European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon visiting the farm of Pat Durkin and his daughter Kayleigh Durkin in Co Kildare earlier this month.
“We still don’t have a derogation on 1 January unless that committee votes to approve this proposal from the Commission,” he said in response to a query on the derogation from Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore.
Habitats
The Minister said that, if approved, the three-year extension will allow Ireland to conduct environmental assessments under the habitats directive in 583 sub-catchments to demonstrate compliance with the directive as proposed under the terms of any new nitrates derogation.
“This is a massive undertaking. It will require significant time and resources to complete these assessments for all 583 catchments. That’s why the Commission has agreed to propose a three-year derogation to facilitate the completion of this work. The point of time was something I continuously raised,” he said.
Minister Heydon said he and his Department looked for a four-year extension to the derogation, the maximum amount of time available.
“There was very much a desire for much less time to be given. But we had to clearly outline based on the science how much time that process takes, to allow our farmers to work through that process and for us as a Department to undertake 583 catchments. That is very onerous. There are other conditionality there too,” he said.
Minster Heydon said that the negotiations have been sensitive and challenging and that there is a lot at stake.
IFA comment
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman said that it is critical that any conditions attached to the renewal of Ireland’s nitrates derogation are workable for derogation farmers.
“It certainly is a positive development to hear that progress is being made on securing renewal of our derogation. However, until we see the terms and conditions attached to any proposed renewal, we don’t know how workable it will be. The devil will be in the detail,” Gorman said.
Read more
Commission proposes to extend Ireland’s nitrates derogation
Radical shakeup of State's derogation application process on table
The European Commission has proposed to extend Ireland’s current nitrates derogation by three years, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said.
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday morning, Minister Heydon said that the proposal is an extension of the current derogation with added conditionality.
“It is the case that the Commission have finally agreed to put a proposal to that nitrates committee for an extension of the existing derogation.
“It is not a new derogation. It has different terms and conditions around time and conditions. The proposal is for a nitrates derogation extension for a three-year period, with new conditionality,” he said.
He said the matter is very sensitive, as the proposal must now be voted on by the EU nitrates committee on 9 December.
European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon visiting the farm of Pat Durkin and his daughter Kayleigh Durkin in Co Kildare earlier this month.
“We still don’t have a derogation on 1 January unless that committee votes to approve this proposal from the Commission,” he said in response to a query on the derogation from Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore.
Habitats
The Minister said that, if approved, the three-year extension will allow Ireland to conduct environmental assessments under the habitats directive in 583 sub-catchments to demonstrate compliance with the directive as proposed under the terms of any new nitrates derogation.
“This is a massive undertaking. It will require significant time and resources to complete these assessments for all 583 catchments. That’s why the Commission has agreed to propose a three-year derogation to facilitate the completion of this work. The point of time was something I continuously raised,” he said.
Minister Heydon said he and his Department looked for a four-year extension to the derogation, the maximum amount of time available.
“There was very much a desire for much less time to be given. But we had to clearly outline based on the science how much time that process takes, to allow our farmers to work through that process and for us as a Department to undertake 583 catchments. That is very onerous. There are other conditionality there too,” he said.
Minster Heydon said that the negotiations have been sensitive and challenging and that there is a lot at stake.
IFA comment
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman said that it is critical that any conditions attached to the renewal of Ireland’s nitrates derogation are workable for derogation farmers.
“It certainly is a positive development to hear that progress is being made on securing renewal of our derogation. However, until we see the terms and conditions attached to any proposed renewal, we don’t know how workable it will be. The devil will be in the detail,” Gorman said.
Read more
Commission proposes to extend Ireland’s nitrates derogation
Radical shakeup of State's derogation application process on table
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