Agriculture minister praises West Cork village for 'great work' in improving water quality
Senator Noel O’Donovan said most of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water sampling for testing takes place in Courtmacsherry bay. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Farmers in West Cork have posed a ‘Timoleague Teaser’ for agriculture minister Martin Heydon over the nitrates derogation.
They have been farming to a stocking rate of 250 kg N/ha, but the Department of Agriculture recently revealed this is to be reduced to 220 kg N/ha for some areas in December.
Mr Heydon told the Seanad he was doing everything to ensure the country continues to have a derogation from the European Commission. “It is pivotal to everything we do,” he said.
But he also warned in some areas, “science shows our water quality is not what it should be”.
As a result, the maximum derogation stocking rate will reduce to 220kg livestock manure nitrogen (N) per hectare for some additional areas from December 1.
“This reduction is necessary to best prepare for discussions with the commission regarding Ireland’s next nitrates derogation,” he said.
Senator Noel O’Donovan, who raised the issue, said the reduction affected areas of his Cork South-West constituency.
This came as a serious shock to some of the local farmers, although discussions would have been held in recent years in which it might have been forecast.
“I recently visited the catchment area, and I saw at first hand the work the farmers are doing,” he said.
Mr O’Donovan said most of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water sampling for testing took place in Courtmacsherry bay.
It does not take place on the catchment rivers, which are pristine and showing improvements.
Farmers fear the EPA testing is picking up residual pollution and residual matter in the water.
“I do not want to be alarmist but there are man-made issues relating to wastewater facilities that have contributed to the pollution in our rivers, streams and bays,” he said.
Mr O’Donovan said if EPA testing in bays and wider estuaries took in other forms of pollution, it must be acknowledged so the blame is not attached to farmers.
Mr Heydon, referring to the senator’s point about the EPA and other contributors to water quality, said it was exactly why the Government established a Cabinet sub-committee on water.
“We had our first meeting on March 31 and have another scheduled for June, chaired by the Taoiseach. This is not just about shining a light on what our agriculture and our farmers are doing.
"It is also about holding to account the EPA, our local authorities and Irish Water to make sure everybody pulls on the green jersey, and we all do everything we can to retain a derogation beyond this year,” he said.
Mr Heydon said he recognised the integral importance of dairy farming, the rural economy, the community, farmers and farm families.
He said the December nitrates date was selected to allow farmers maximum time to prepare and manage their cows through the normal spring calving lactation cycle.
“By being able to give them the maximum amount of time until December, the rate is effectively just short of the 250kg N/ha for this year.
It will be 220kg N/ha from next year on. This allows farmers the time and space to be able to plan for the new rate,” he said.
Mr Heydon said his officials would shortly write individual letters to farmers potentially impacted by this change. Access to a derogation is contingent on improving water quality across the country.
“We are already starting to see results from the work led by farmers, with the most recently published EPA data showing significantly reduced nitrates concentrations in our rivers last year,” he said.
Mr Heydon said he had visited Timoleague in West Cork in recent years and seen first-hand the work under way by farmers to progress developments in water quality.
Accepting Mr O’Donovan’s invitation to visit West Cork again soon, he said he looked forward to going down and meeting many of those farmers with him and seeing the great work happening in that space.
