An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Cathal Byrne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel

Today, I want to support the good news about Ireland's nitrates derogation and to speak for a few moments about it. It is very important to recognise that 7,000 farmers throughout the country are availing of the nitrates derogation. What does this actually mean? Because of our unique grassland environment and the mechanisms that we have in this country that are not available to other European countries to support the dairy industry, it allows for farmers to operate at 2.5 cows per hectare versus 1.6 cows per hectare, which would otherwise be the case were we to lose our derogation. This is about water quality but it is also about recognising the progress and the hard work that has been done by farmers to ensure that we have seen significant improvements in water quality. I recognise the work that was done by the Tánaiste; the Taoiseach; the Minister, Deputy Heydon; and their officials. I also recognise the work that has been done by so many farmers across the country who supported and implemented many of the measures that were brought forward. The reality is that too often there is a stigma whereby farmers are blamed for a reduction in water quality. It is important that we recognise that improving water quality is an issue for everybody. That is why we have the Cabinet subcommittee on water quality. It is a recognition of the fact that we have to bring big business, Uisce Éireann and the EPA around the table, as well as farmers, and ensure this continues to be a priority. I come from the younger generation. Only one in every 20 farmers is under 35, versus the one in three who is aged over 65. If we want to have young people getting into farming and taking it up as a career in order to provide them with an income, we have to ensure that measures like this continue into the future.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-09