The "demonisation" of Ireland's dairy farmers can now stop following the publication of a report showing nitrogen levels in Irish rivers are at their lowest in eight years, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has said.

"Anti-farmers have used rising nitrogen levels in Irish waters to try and beat up Irish agriculture and, in particular, the dairy sector. This needs to stop.

"Over the last decade, the dairy community in Ireland have done everything that has been asked of them in terms of mitigating the effects of dairy farming on the Irish environment," he said.

Evidence

There is now, Kelleher said, clear evidence that the work dairy farmers have done has made a positive impact.

"It is clear that we can reduce nitrogen levels without cutting the legs from under our thriving dairy sector.

“We are now on the right track. The Irish Government can go with confidence to the European Commission and seek the maintenance of the derogation," he said.

“Of course, more work needs to be done, but we know that what we have been doing is working. Let’s keep going,” concluded Kelleher.