Nitrates directive excessive, Dáil committee told

THE FULL implementation of the nitrates directive would seriously affect the competitiveness of farmers, Fine Gael environment spokesman Phil Hogan said yesterday.

He was speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Environment Committee which was discussing forthcoming revisions to the nitrate regulations with farmers bodies.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) called on the Government to make changes to the “illogical calendar-farming requirements”. Calendar farming bans slurry, fertiliser and farmyard manure spreading during certain months of the year.

The nitrates regulations to improve water quality were described as “excessive” by IFA president John Byran.

The idea that farmers can spread slurry on a certain day in the month and not another was an “illogical and rigid style”, he told the committee.

Recent wet summers meant that farmers were unable to spread in the allowed period, he said. It was unfair to penalise farmers, he said.

The calendar requirements were described as “nonsense” by Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association president Jackie Cahill.

Some 44 submissions were received by the Department of the Environment in response to the public consultation in the review of the nitrates regulations, a spokesman said. An expert group will review the consultation and recommend a common position.