Commissioner: Farmers’ environmental work ‘not in vain’ as derogation talks intensify
Agriculture minister Martin Heydon and European environment commissioner Jessika Roswall visited the farm of Pat and Kaleigh Durkin near Kilcullen, Co Kildare, on Friday. Picture: Department of Agriculture
Irish farmers have been told their environmental efforts have “not been in vain” as talks to secure the future of Ireland’s nitrates derogation look set to continue to the 11th hour.
Speaking to press as she concluded her visit to Ireland, European environment commissioner Jessika Roswall said she hoped to “consider the request for the derogation positively”.
“The most important thing for certain is that we are on the right track and we are committed to that — the farmers and the authorities in Ireland,” she said.
However, Ms Roswall cautioned that she could not commit to any deal without the backing of other member states.
“We all need to follow European rules and the court decisions. We know the time pressure – the commission and the Government both know the time pressure. That’s why I am here right now, and also working as fast as possible.
“But it still has to be a solid decision that is workable both for farmers, for the Government, and for the Commission – and finding that balance takes some time,” she said.
Agriculture minister Martin Heydon said: “In an ideal world, it doesn’t go to the 11th hour – but it does, and it did four years ago; it went into March four years ago.
During her visit to Ireland on Friday, the commissioner met father and daughter duo Pat and Kayleigh Durkin around their kitchen table.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Michael Healy-Rae commended Ms Roswall for spending more than two hours on the farm with the family.
“She has really shown sincerity in giving so much time on the farm, listening to the farm organisations,” he said.
Kayleigh, who previously worked as a nurse, ultimately decided her real love was farming and has committed to running the business to a high professional standard.
The pair, who are based outside Kilcullen, Co Kildare, milk 170 cows. Losing the nitrates derogation would mean they would need to sell or cull around 40 cows from their herd.
“That farm can currently provide an income for both her father and herself, and we need that to continue to be the case,” Mr Heydon said.
The pair use precision farming techniques such as regular grass measuring to ensure their pasture is well managed and utilised, collars on their cows to optimise stock management, and have even invested in building an underpass so the cows can pass beneath a busy road.
Ms Roswall said the efforts the family had put into sustainable farming were “impressive”.
“That is very positive to see,” she said. “This is very important — that this work is ongoing. More work needs to be done, but it still needs to continue.”
Mr Heydon said they measured grass together with the commissioner to demonstrate how the family use data to predict dry matter content and feed value in their fields.
“It’s getting across the science behind that that the general public doesn’t see often enough, and I really do think that had an impact,” he said.
He added that the visit gave him the opportunity to relay many of the personal stories he heard at Monday night’s nitrates meeting in Cork, where around 2,000 farmers turned out to show how important the derogation was to them.
“As a politician myself, I know that no matter how many times you are told something, you cannot beat seeing it first-hand — meeting the people, breaking bread with them, understanding their lives and getting to know them,” said Mr Heydon.
Speaking to the Mr Heydon said farmers should be “proud” of their efforts so far.
“I know farmers are sensitive to any criticism around the environment, and they feel blamed disproportionately at times in that space,” he said.
"But I want farmers to know that I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today, in terms of my negotiations, if they hadn’t taken the measures they have taken on water quality before now. I want the general public to be proud of the work farmers have done in continuing to produce top-quality food worth €19bn in exports, which drives our whole rural economy.
“They have managed to do that while reducing their emissions, while having positive impacts on biodiversity, while participating in programmes like the ACRES scheme, and while improving measures on 9,000km of our watercourses – that would stretch from Sandymount in Dublin to South Korea.
“They need to know the only reason they are still in with a shout of getting a derogation next year is because of the difference that has made. They shouldn’t think that was wasted effort. We all want good water quality – it is in all of our interests.”
