The three-year extension of the nitrates derogation must be used to draw up plans for its total phase out after it expires, according to Social Democrats agriculture and environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore.<\/p>\n
Deputy Whitmore said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI am hugely concerned by the decision to extend the nitrates derogation \u2013 because, if past performance is anything to go by, our water quality is the price we have paid to maintain it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be our sixth nitrates derogation since 2006. Every time the derogation is extended, we hear the same commitments that water quality will improve. It has yet to happen. In fact, a recent EPA report revealed that our waterways are continuing to deteriorate.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreviously, other EU countries also availed of the derogation but, as it stands, we are now the only member State opting to continue to heavily pollute our waterways to continue an intensive model of farming.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not just a disaster for the environment and for biodiversity, it is a calamity for rural communities \u2013 who deserve, and want, clean water for activities like angling, swimming and tourism opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo give one stark example of the impact of nitrates on our waterways, Lady\u2019s Island Lake in Wexford is now being described as \u201cdead\u201d. We cannot allow for more of our waterways to fall into this retrograde state.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis decision also has implications for farmers, who are being repeatedly incentivised by government to intensify their model of farming \u2013 which is not sustainable given our dire water quality and climate action obligations.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of supporting and resourcing farmers, to move to a more sustainable model, the government is leading them to cliff edges, with negotiations to extend the derogation always coming down to the wire.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis latest extension can\u2019t just be more business as usual, kicking the can down the road for another three years as our rivers continue to degrade and our biodiversity is irreparably harmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis latest three-year extension of the nitrates derogation must be used to draw up plans for its total phase out after it expires.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
December 9th, 2025<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The three-year extension of the nitrates derogation must be used to draw up plans for its total phase out after it expires, according to Social Democrats agriculture and environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: \u201cI am hugely concerned by the decision to extend the nitrates derogation \u2013 because, if past performance is anything to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11630,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[410,517,727,268,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-biodiversity","category-environment","category-jennifer-whitmore","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n