Minister anticipates December derogation

IRELAND has a few months to get its house in order on the Nitrates Directive, said Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh this week.

At the Bord Bia organised European Meat Forum in Dublin, he urged the various interested parties, the departments of the Environment and Agriculture, Teagasc and the social partners, to work out a consensus for a satisfactory submission to Brussels.

"I believe that can be done and should be done as expeditiously as possible," he said.