Commissioner Michael McGrath earlier confirmed that the European Commission has proposed to extend the derogation under the Nitrates Directive for Ireland. 

It is unclear what precise conditions will be applied to this derogation, but Minister Heydon earlier confirmed that it will be for three years, and a Habitats Directive assessment will be required at a catchment level. It now just remains for the Nitrates Expert Committee to vote on this on December 9^th, before the Commission formally adopt it.  

An Taisce has long highlighted the dire state of Irish water quality, with recent EPA data demonstrating that half of Irish rivers and lakes, and 2/3 of estuaries are polluted. Agricultural nitrogen is a major source of this pollution, resulting from animal manure, slurry and fertiliser.  

An Taisce previously called on the Commission to put Ireland on an off-ramp, to wean us off our reliance on the nitrates derogation. We asked Commissioner Jessika Roswall to further reduce the upper limit of nitrogen which can be spread, and to ultimately move towards removing the derogation entirely, unless Ireland can prove that it will not impact on water quality.  

To date Ireland has utterly failed to provide any evidence that the extra stocking density allowed for under the derogation is not driving water pollution, or to even assess that adequately. 

Dr. Elaine McGoff, Head of Advocacy with An Taisce said: 

“Given the lack of detail about how this renewed derogation will be managed differently, and looking at our terrible track record of protecting water quality from agricultural pollution, I’m really concerned that the conditions attached, may not address the long established pattern of agricultural water pollution, and may instead just further exacerbate that.  

This derogation decision is meant to be based on the science, but the evidence is very clearly indicating that we have a serious nitrogen pollution problem in Ireland, and the measures we’re putting in place to address that are not working.  

An Taisce has long called on successive governments to put in place contingency plans to deal with a potential loss or major amendment to the nitrates derogation, despite them highlighting that it is a key element for the ongoing economic future of Ireland’s dairy industry, with significant consequences for farmers if it were to not be renewed. We once again call on the Irish Government to show leadership, and to now put in a place a plan to transition farmers away from relying on a derogation, given that in three year’s time farmers will once again find themselves on this cliff edge.  

How many more Lady's Island Lakes do we need to see in Ireland before we chart a better way forward for Irish waters, and to help Irish farmers transition to a more sustainable and resilient future?