IFA President Francie Gorman has emphasised that it is critical that any conditions attached to the renewal of Ireland’s nitrates derogation are workable for derogation farmers.
This follows confirmation by EU Commissioner Michael McGrath this morning on national radio that a draft proposal on the renewal of the nitrates derogation has been circulated by the EU Commission to member states to be voted on at the next EU Nitrates Committee meeting in Brussels in December.
“It certainly is a positive development to hear that progress is being made on securing renewal of our derogation. However, until we see the terms and conditions attached to any proposed renewal, we don’t know how workable it will be. The devil will be in the detail,” Francie Gorman said.
“A renewal that results in excluding many of the existing derogation farmers from continuing to avail of one or a situation where new entrants cannot secure a derogation in the future has to be avoided at all costs,” the IFA President concluded.
