Minister must address nitrates derogation ‘ticking timebomb’ now, warns Lombard

West Cork Senator Tim Lombard has called on Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to go before the Oireachtas joint committee on agriculture, food and the marine during the summer recess to discuss the urgent issue of nitrates derogation.

Sen Lombard called the nitrates derogation ‘the ticking time bomb’ for agriculture and urged Mr McConalogue  to answer questions on the matter now, as the issue cannot wait until the Oireachtas formally returns next month.

The Fine Gael senator, who is leas-chathaoirleach of the committee, said: ‘If we don’t get moving on this in the next few weeks, the potential of us losing the derogation is very possible, and what that means for the agricultural sector is huge. 

‘There cannot be a situation where the minister will come before us towards the middle of or late September when the summer recess finishes. The Committee cathaoirleach, myself and most committee members, are very conscious we need to move on this in an appropriate time manner and that means meeting in the month of August.  ‘We already met with the EPA and the IFA in July on this issue.’

 ‘I don’t believe we can wait any longer to put the pressure that’s required on the commission to try to get a suitable solution to the nitrates issue. This is a ticking timebomb for the agricultural industry. The Minister needs to come out fighting on this and the department must urge commission officials to also visit Ireland in the coming weeks.’

Sen Lombard warned cuts to derogations would be felt well beyond individual farmers and hit areas right across the community.

‘We’re talking about a multi-billion euro industry here. A derogation cut will see a massive cut in our output but the impact will be felt well beyond derogation farmers. 

‘There is a view out there that this is only an issue that affects the dairy farmer, but this is affecting everyone, this is affecting the tillage farmer all the way to the beef farmer, processing and agri-business. 

‘In many ways, this is a crossroads for Irish agriculture and the Minister for Agriculture needs to show leadership and the will to fight for Irish farm families.’