“This Government will seek a further Nitrates derogation for Ireland. Scientifically, we have robust reasoning to justify this request with our unique grass based system, long growing season and soil types. However, all stakeholders, Government, farmers and industry, are also acutely conscious that improving water quality across the country is a critical component of securing support for the continuation of the derogation from the Commission and other EU member states.

“I recently published 'Water and agriculture - a collaborative approach', my Departments plan to support the retention of the Derogation post 2025. Some actions in this plan are already taking place, such as, reductions in chemical Nitrogen limits and the transition to Low Emission Slurry Spreading. This visit provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase these actions Irish farmers are taking to improve water quality and to demonstrate how important the derogation is to Irish farm families.

“It is also an opportunity to present the significant public and private investment in actions to improve water quality. This investment supports measures such as the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP), the €60 million European Innovation Programme (EIP) to improve water quality, the Agricultural Catchments Programme, and the €1.5 billion ‘ACRES’ Programme, in which 55,000 farmers are participating. I felt that it was important that the Commission team should have an opportunity to see this work first hand, to meet the people passionately working on these projects and the farmers who are working and investing day in day out to improve Irelands water quality.”

“Good water quality is an absolute requirement for citizens and a key focus for this Government. Delivering this requires engagement from stakeholders across all sectors. Investments such as those in Organic farming under the CAP Strategic Plan, the Woodland for Water initiative under the new Forestry Programme, and the multispecies swards and red clover silage measures can make a real contribution to delivering the necessary improvements”.

”The Nitrates Derogation is of intrinsic importance to Ireland’s grass-based system. Central to our strategy to improve water quality and retain the derogation is practical research, the provision of advice and supports to farmers, and the intensive monitoring of water quality under the Agricultural Catchment Programme. This visit is a platform to showcase the work of Irish farmers and the agri-food sector to protect water quality and highlight the importance of the dairy sector to the rural economy.”

‘I am really pleased that the European Commission team has responded to my invitation to come to Ireland. The visit provides an important opportunity, not only to increase awareness of our unique grass-based system, but also to get a sense of how farmers, supported by Government and industry, are adopting new practices to improve water quality. I look forward to a very constructive engagement by the officials in Ireland over the coming days’