Ireland's lax approach to inspecting farms and enforcing rules

The EU Nitrates Committee meets on Tuesday and may extend Ireland's nitrates derogation by up to three years. At the same time we need to protect or restore water quality on a national scale writes ecologist Pádraic Fogarty

Pádraic Fogarty: "The impression that water quality is improving and that farmers simply need more time for measures which have been adopted to take effect is widespread. However, this is not supported by any data." Pictures: EPA Ireland 

It is not only farmyard slurry that is being spread widely across the country these days. When it comes to the debate about our water quality and the retention of Ireland’s nitrates derogation, many politicians and farm leaders seem equally content to hose misinformation onto the field of public opinion with abandon.

Take MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú who insisted that water quality improvements are underway and that “since 2019, we have seen a reduction in total nitrogen load in our rivers by a quarter”.