Environment Reports
Environment Council Report February 2026
- Activity since last National Council
- Following an extensive national and European lobbying campaign by IFA, the European Commission approved a three-year extension of the Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation on 9th December 2025, following a positive vote by the EU Nitrates Committee. The full details of the European Commission Implementing Decision are enclosed (see Appendix 1). The extension to the Nitrates Derogation for three years from 2026 until the end of 2028, allows farmers to continue spreading organic nitrogen above 170kg/N/ha limit, up to 250kg/N/ha, subject to stricter environmental conditions.
- All derogation farmers must determine their nutrient balance using AgNav and undertake a grassland management training course.
- From 1st January 2028 derogation farmers in the Slaney, Barrow, Nore and Blackwater River catchments will see (i) a reduction in their chemical fertiliser allowance on grassland, and (ii) a requirement for wider buffers or setbacks adjacent to water when applying chemical and organic fertilisers.
- The extension of the current derogation provides time for the Government to complete Appropriate Assessment at catchment or sub-catchment level which is required by the European Commission under the Habitats Directive to secure a new derogation.
- There are 46 catchments and 583 sub-catchments identified under the Water Framework Directive.
- The Sixth Nitrates Action Programme 2026 to 2028 was approved and aligns with the term of the derogation extension for three years from 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2028. Some of the new key regulatory measures are:
- There will be a mandatory requirement on derogation farms to know the farm’s nutrient balance, and it will be encouraged for other farms.
- Improved nutrient distribution on fragmented dairy farms – stocking rate on the holding will be based on the milking platform, if stocking rate too high cattle slurry produced on the holding must be applied outside the milking platform or a lower chemical fertiliser allowance will apply.
- Increased slurry and soiled water storage capacity requirements – it is proposed that the (i) volume of slurry produced will increase by 21% to 0.40 m3 from 0.33 m3 per dairy cow per week, and (ii) volume of soiled water by 43% will increase to 0.30 m3 from 0.21 m3 per dairy cow per week, which is based on the number of cows being milked at critical times of year rather than theoretical peak cow numbers at any time during the year.
- The post-harvest application of organic fertiliser in the form of sewage sludge or biosolid derived from the treatment of sewage sludge will be prohibited in the Barrow catchment and the Slaney & Wexford Harbour catchment from 1st January 2028, except where arable land is being sown brassica species or grass crops by 15th September.
- Expansion of DAFM’s organic nutrient movement database to include all organic manures (including sludge and biosolids).
- Continued and increased focus on compliance and enforcement, and the National Agricultural Inspection Programme.
- Overall review of the GAP Regulations to streamline and simplify.
- An IFA delegation attended a meeting with Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, Heritage, and Biodiversity on the 3rd December to raise serious concerns with regards the lack of clarity on Nature Restoration Plans.
- On the 11th December 2025, the National Parks and Wildlife Parks (NPWS) published The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland, 2025: Summary Report, commonly referred to as the Article 17 Report. The report is published every six years, it presents a comprehensive overview of the conservation status of the 59 habitats and 60 species in Ireland that are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. IFA prepared a briefing note on the report (see Appendix 2) which found that 58% of species are in “favourable” conservation status while only 10% of habitats are in “favourable conservation status, however where conservation efforts are focused 9% of habitats are showing improvements. This information will feed into the development of Ireland Nature Restoration Plan, which is due to be submitted to the European Commission by September 2026.
- On the 20th January an IFA delegation attended the Land Leaders’ Forum: Fields, Forests & Rivers in Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, which was organised by the NPWS. In advance of the meeting there was a pre-meeting to capture farmers concerns and prepare a briefing paper of questions/position for the meeting (see Appendix 3).
- Paul O’Brien, Chair of the IFA Infrastructure Project Team, and Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive, presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport on Greenways on 12th November (see Appendix 4 for the full statement).
- Following this presentation, the IFA issued a press statement reaffirming its opposition to the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) for Greenway development.
- An IFA delegation led by IFA President Francie Gorman met online with Lorcan O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer, and other representatives of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) on 20th December. The delegation reiterated its concerns about CPOs being used as the default approach, which limits meaningful engagement with farmers and communities, and highlighted the need for improved strategic implementation of Greenways to minimise distress and disruption to local communities, rather than amendments to code of practice.
- John Murphy, National Environment and Rural Affairs Chair and Tadhg Buckley, Director of Policy attended a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) stakeholder meeting on 19th December in Backweston, Co. Kildare.
- CBAM applies to carbon intensive products – iron, steel, aluminium, cement, electricity, fertilisers, and hydrogen – that are produced outside the EU.
- During the transitional phase, which started in January 2024, EU importers were required to register on the CBAM registry and report quarterly on CBAM imports. There were no financial obligations.
- IFA have been highly active from the outset, requesting that fertilisers be excluded from CBAM and have raised serious concerns that CBAM significantly inflate input costs for Irish farmers, threatening food security, and the viability of the agricultural sector.
- From January 2026, EU importers importing over 50 tonnes of CBAM goods into the EU will be required to buy CBAM certificates from the national authorities (EPA).
- The price of the certificates will be calculated based on auction price of EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) allowances expressed in €/tonne of CO2 emitted, as a quarterly average in 2026 and as a weekly average from 2027 onwards.
- IFA through direct lobbying and via COPA secured the following changes (i) 1% mark-up for fertilisers relative to 10-30% for other sectors, (ii) removal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duty on Urea and Ammonia and (iii) safeguard in case of market distortion.
- IFA continue to lobby for a potential suspension as well as the removal of antidumping tariffs and wrote to Minister Heydon on 22nd January to request that he support Austria’s motion to seek the immediate suspension of duties for fertilisers at Agri-Fish Council Ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday 26th January.
- IFA made a submission to the public consultation on the Principles for Developing Carbon Farming in Ireland; a copy of the submission is in Appendix 5.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive IFA attended a Using Worldviews to Inspire and Scale Climate Action (UWISCA), Climate Community of Practice workshop on 6th November in Dublin and an online meeting on 29th January. UWISCA is a three-year research project being carried out by researchers in the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at University College Dublin Environmental Policy. It is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended Signpost Climate conference, Farming for a Better Climate 2025: Practical and Emerging Solutions, on 11th November in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended as part of a delegation from Irish Farm Films Producers Group (IFFPG) who presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine on farm plastics recycling compliance scheme.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the online meeting of Waters of LIFE Stakeholder Advisory Group on 17th November.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the Better Farming for Water Campaign Steering Group meeting on 20th November in Teagasc Oakpark, Co. Carlow.
- John Murphy, National Environment and Rural Affairs Chair attended the Circol ELT Farm Tyre Bring Days on the 20thNovember at Crossmore Tyre Recycling in Co. Cork. The event offered farmers a regulated, low-cost method to recycle farm tyres, costing €50/tonne for the first 4 tonnes and €120/tonne thereafter. IFA promoted the event via its newsletter, WhatsApp groups, text message system, and other media channels. Details of future Farm Tyre Bring Days for 2026 are pending.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the online meeting Q4 UÉ National Stakeholder Forum on 1stDecember.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the EPA Advisory Committee meeting on 15th December in EPA Office, Dublin.
- John Murphy, National Environment and Rural Affairs Chair and Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive met with representatives from Uisce Eireann on Non-Domestic Tariff Framework (NDTF) on 16th December to investigate alternative tariff structures, with consideration given to introduce a farmer specific band or an “essential animal-health” sub-class within Band 1 with lower standing charges, for farmers with multiple connections.
- John Murphy, National Environment and Rural Affairs Chair and Tadhg Buckley, Director of Policy attended the 31st meeting of the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group on the 8th January in the Killeshin Hotel, Co. Laois
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the Non-Domestic Water User Group (NDWUG) online workshop – CRU Consultations on Revenue Control 4 and Trade Effluent Transition Mechanism on 12th January.
- IFA Infrastructure Project Team met on the 17th November in the Killeshin Hotel.
- IFA Environment and Rural Affairs committee met on the 26th November and 21st January in the Farm Centre, Dublin.
- Any EU/COPA developments
- John Murphy, National Environment and Rural Affairs Chair and Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the online COPA Working Party Environment meeting on 2nd December.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the online COPA Working Party on Environment (EN) and Task Force on Biodiversity and Soil meeting on 22nd January where the following was discussed (i) Environmental Simplification Omnibus, (ii) Nature Restoration Regulation, (iii) Nature Credits – Update from Secretariat on the first meeting of the Expert Group on 11th December 2025 and (iv) Species on the Habitats and Birds Directive lists that should be reconsidered.
- IFA prepared submission to the Environmental Simplification Omnibus with suggested amendments to Habitats and Birds Directives, Water Framework Directive, Nitrates Directive and Nature Restoration as part of stress testing process. Work is ongoing.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended the online Climate Resilience Framework meeting organised by DG CLIMA on 26th January.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive provided written feedback and attended online meeting on 26th January to support develop of COPA Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) and the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) submission.
- Geraldine O’Sullivan, Senior Policy Executive attended online workshop on livestock methodology – Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation, on 4th February.
- Upcoming issues
- John Murphy will Chair session at Fertiliser Association Ireland Spring Seminar on “Moving the dial on soil fertility and water quality: Insights from Ireland and New Zealand” on 10th February at 2pm in the Horse & Jockey Hotel.
- Continued engagement with COPA to finalise submission to the Environmental Simplification Omnibus, which addresses concerns of Irish farmers.
- IFA will provide feedback to COPA on the European Climate Resilience and Risk Management – Integrated Framework.
- IFA will meet with Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to get greater clarity on the potential impact of Nature Restoration Plan on farmers and farmland.
- IFA will engage with Department of Climate, Energy, and the Environment on the review of the Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) and the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR).
- IFA will meet with Uisce Eireann to continue to work to secure changes to the Non-Domestic Tariff Framework (NDTF) tariffs for farmers with multiple connections.
