A total of 1,921 farmers were fined for nitrates breaches in 2015, according to figures from the IFA, with fines totalling €1.9m.
All of these farmers had to pay some of their penalty in 2016, with 510 farmers paying 1% of the fine this year, 585 farmers paying 3% of the fine, 220 paying 5% of the fine and 606 paying over 5% of the fine in 2016. The fine comes out of farmers' basic payment.
Of the 1,921 farmers who breached the limits in 2015, the majority (31%) exceeded the limit of 170kg of N/ha by up to 10kg. Some 338 farmers (17.6%) breached the limit by up to 20kg and 364 (18.9%) went over 250kg.
NAP
Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) is designed to prevent pollution of water from agricultural sources and to protect and improve water quality. It sets a limit on the amount of livestock manure applied to the land each year, sets periods when land spreading is prohibited due to risk and sets capacity levels for the storage of livestock manure. Ireland’s third NAP came into operation in 2014 and will conclude in 2017.
This review will be complicated by the recent EPA report on Water Quality 2012 – 2015
In 2014, Ireland was granted a derogation to allow intensive farmers a higher stocking rate of livestock manure, subject to them complying with strict rules that are overseen by the Department of Agriculture. The derogation increased the application limit of 170kg/ha of livestock manure to 250kg/ha each year. The farmers fined €1.9m for 2015 breaches had not received a derogation.
Fears over derogation renewal
A recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report showing a slight deterioration in water quality may prevent Ireland from securing a derogation request in the next NAP, which will run from 2018 to 2021. The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said that a request for a new nitrates derogation will be submitted to the European Commission as part of the review process.
“Although having been successful in all previous derogation requests, this review will be complicated by the recent EPA report on Water Quality 2012-2015,” Minister Creed said. “Previous reports all revealed an increase in water quality albeit a slow and gradual improvement. This report, however, at best reveals a stalling of this trend in improvement and at worst shows a slight deterioration in the water quality of certain types of water courses.”
We have to be very careful – given what has happened in other member states
The Department's general secretary Aidan O'Driscoll has echoed this concern, saying that the report indicated a 3% decline in unpolluted waterways in Ireland.
“We still have the cleanest water in Europe,” said O'Driscoll, “but we have to be very careful – given what has happened in other member states.”
Denmark, for example, did not have its derogation on livestock manure renewed this year because the European Commission “was not happy with the progress it has made on water quality”. The Dutch were told to reduce cow numbers.
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