Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has criticised the government’s lack of urgency in tackling nitrogen levels in our rivers.
Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s environment spokesperson, said:
“In its latest assessment – based on data from 20 representative monitoring sites – the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that nitrogen concentrations in rivers increased by 10 per cent in 2025. Of particular concern is that nitrogen levels in the south-eastern part of the country are too high to support good ecological health in our water bodies.
“The primary source of nitrogen in Irish rivers is from agricultural activity, including excess losses of nitrogen in chemical and organic fertilisers, with factors such as land management and weather patterns influencing pollution levels.
“If we want to see improvements in water quality, we need targeted agricultural measures to reduce nitrogen levels.
“It is unacceptable that nitrogen levels are still too high and not improving fast enough. This latest data from the EPA reinforces longstanding concerns that nitrogen concentrations in rivers are persistently elevated, with little evidence of meaningful nationwide improvement.
“The nitrates derogation continues to undermine our water quality goals, with the government investing significant political capital in extending it instead of meaningfully tackling this existential threat to our waterways.
“It also means that Ireland is at risk of missing its legally binding environmental targets, with a 2027 deadline looming under the EU Water Framework Directive.
“Along with stricter enforcement, we need to see the government supporting farmers in transitioning to more sustainable practices. Otherwise, Ireland will pay a very high price, both financially and environmentally.”
ENDS
March 19, 2026