An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told the Irish Farmers Journal that he won’t be intervening to halt a cut to Ireland’s nitrates derogation, despite calls made by the IFA.
“I think it’s fair to say that if it were possible for us to have the 250kg derogation extended, it would have happened.
“Minister McConalogue has had detailed engagements with the Agriculture Commissioner. I’ve had engagements at my level as well, and this is ultimately a decision the Commission makes and they simply are not willing to grant us an extension to allow us to stay at the 250kg,” he said.
In its immediate response to the announcement that Ireland’s nitrates derogation will change from 250kg of organic nitrogen per hectare to 220kg, the IFA insisted that the Taoiseach should intervene to prevent it.
Next step
Varadkar has instead sought to direct the focus towards maintaining the new upper nitrates limit.
“The real thing we have to do now is to make sure we hold the 220kg. We’re one of only three countries in Europe that have the derogation and we may be the last. We want to make sure that we hold onto that.
“That’s going to be the priority, because we know how important that is in terms of our dairy industry and farm family incomes. If there were an intervention that would make this decision different, it would have been done by now.
“I think we’ve done everything we can on this matter,” he said.
SHARING OPTIONS