Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill has defended the Agriculture Minister’s handling of the nitrates issue.
Minister Charlie McConalogue has come in for much criticism from Irish farmers in the wake of the change imposed by the EU on nitrogen limits.
Farming organisations claim it would force farmers to reduce their herd numbers of get extra land.
The Chair of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Thurles Deputy Jackie Cahill, was asked on Tipp Today this morning if Minister McConalogue had failed farmers.
“Well I don’t agree there. What disappoints me most of all is that to qualify for derogation last year and this year you had to take on 31 extra conditions that you had to comply with. Those extra requirements that are for farmers in derogation haven’t been given the chance to work. We all want to see water quality improving but I would feel that those 31 conditions should have been given a three year window to see would that result in an improvement in water quality.”
