A Visit from the Commissioner
Responding to questions from reporters at this week’s National Ploughing Championships, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, confirmed that the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, intends to visit Ireland. This news will no doubt be met with much interest from farmers and farming organisations across the country.
Nitrates Derogation Cuts
The EU Commission remains steadfast on its decision to cut Ireland’s nitrates derogation from 250kg to 220kg – a move that has been heavily criticised by some farming organisations. Farming groups maintain that the cut will mean increased economic hardship for farmers, many of whom will have to reduce herd numbers or purchase more land to comply with the new derogation.
The Commission, however, says that the cut is necessary to improve water quality in the country.
An Opportunity to Showcase Irish Farming?
According to Minister McConalogue, the Commissioner’s visit will be an opportunity for him to observe first hand “the strong work being undertaken by farmers to improve water quality.”
The Minister went on to say that the visit “will provide an opportunity to show the Commissioner in person how our agricultural production system differs to other member states.”
Onwards to Derogation 2026?
Mr McConalogue was keen to pay tribute to the commitment of Irish farmers to improving national water quality which, he said, will “help Ireland to lay the groundwork for the renewal of the derogation in 2026”. The aim from this point on, according to the Minister, should be to “put ourselves in a position whereby we can retain that derogation when it comes up for negotiation again at the end of 2025.”
Future Supports for Affected Farmers
The Minister confirmed that Department officials are currently considering what supports can be put in place to help affected farmers meet the demands of the nitrates cut. However, he also indicated that the priority, for the time being, is to continue with the delivery of existing supports.
Cover Photo Credit: Flags in front of the European Commission building in Brussels; Author: Sébastien Bertrand. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Photo enlarged.
