Derogation cut in 'red map' areas reviewed

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said there is not enough scientific evidence to justify reducing Ireland’s nitrates derogation limit.

IFA president Tim Cullinan said the “red map” cannot form the basis for a review, which would cost the rural economy €236m if the stocking rate is reduced, while having “negligible impact” on water quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) red map, may not, after all, be used to determine areas moving to a maximum stocking rate of 220kg N per hectare from 2024, according to Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.

Speaking in the Dáil, he said the red map did not include areas that, based on previous water quality monitoring publications by the EPA, would have been expected to fail the European Commission’s nitrates derogation standards.