Continued improvements in water quality show farmers’ efforts are working

IFA Environment Chair John Murphy said that the latest report from the EPA shows a substantial decline in nitrogen concentrations in selected rivers over the last 12 months compared with 2023 levels. Nitrogen concentrations levels in 2024 were comparable with 2016 levels.

“This is the second publication of the early insight report and shows continued reduction in nitrogen concentrations.

“Typically, the early insights indicator provides a conservative estimate of the likely nitrogen concentrations nationally compared with the full national network data, which historically is typically lower,” he said.

He said that this is recognised in the report which states that a further decline in nitrate concentrations using the full national network data is likely, when this monitoring data is published later in the year.

“The report is important and should provide confidence that the measures adopted at farm level by farmers are delivering improvements to water quality, and that the sector is on the right track.”

He said there is a relentless focus by the sector to improve water quality through programmes such as the Teagasc Better Farming for Water campaign and the Farming for Water EIP that are supporting farmers to implement targeted measures to deliver for water quality, and also biodiversity and climate.

The next cycle

“It’s vital that the findings of this report feed into the development of the next Nitrate Action Programme, and that the enormous pressure that has been placed on farmers with the constantly changing and evolving policy is lessened in the next cycle.

“The pace of regulatory change cannot be maintained; time must be provided for the existing measures and the targeted approach to continue to deliver improvements to water quality,” he said.