Dillon urges firm stance on nitrates
Earlier this month, the Commission refused to accept the Government’s proposed action plan to implement the directive aimed at reducing water pollution from agriculture.
Mr Dillon, speaking after Environment Minister Dick Roche and Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan met with farm leaders, said any step back by the Government from its full and committed support for the action programme will be rightly seen by farmers as a damaging capitulation and sell-out of Irish agriculture.
“There must be no giving in to demands to unravel the Irish action programme as submitted,” said Mr Dillon, adding that the IFA had met with Teagasc heads of research, who confirmed that the action programme is based on scientific research under Irish production and weather conditions and represents the right balance between the protection of water quality and the costs on agriculture.
ICMSA president Pat O’Rourke said he was satisfied at the outcome of the meeting in the Department of Environment between the various parties to the nitrates action plan. The Brosnan recommendations would continue to form the substance of the Irish proposals.
He said the obligations in dealing with a directive were very different to those dealing with a regulation. The leeway permitted in dealing with a directive meant that Ireland still had discretion as to how it should proceed.
