The leader of the Independent Ireland party and Cork South-West TD, Michael Collins, has today (Saturday, July 5) told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to "back off the farmers".
Deputy Collins also called for the resignation of the director general of the EPA for what he described as the agency's “unacceptable double standards and ongoing campaign to demonise farmers”.
The Independent Ireland TD believes that there should be "fairer environmental oversight that protects both communities and farmers alike".
Deputy Collins said: “Farmers are constantly vilified while the State continues to pollute our rivers with raw sewage and the EPA continues to turn a blind eye.
“Take Shannonvale in West Cork – a community where untreated wastewater is being discharged into an area that was supposed to be a children's playground, that is now blocked off due to the EPA's failure to hold the State to account and address the problem.
"Where is the urgency? Where is the accountability? The State has failed to fix this for years, yet it’s the family farm that gets dragged through the mud.”
The Cork South-West TD was also highly critical today of the latest water quality monitoring report from the EPA which found that “nitrate concentrations remain too high in many parts of the country”.
The EPA’s ‘Water Quality Monitoring Report on Nitrogen and Phosphorous Concentrations in Irish Waters 2024‘ provides an update on the results of water quality monitoring to support the assessment of the impact of the nitrates derogation on Irish waters.
According to the EPA there was a 10% national reduction in river nitrate concentrations during 2024, “with reductions observed in all regions”.
The agency’s analysis shows that overall nitrogen levels in rivers have reduced nationally in 2024 compared to 2023 and said the "recent improvement in nitrogen concentrations in rivers is very welcome".
Deputy Collins called into question the EPA's focus on what he described as "longstanding failures by Uisce Éireann to resolve basic wastewater infrastructure issues across dozens of towns and villages" as opposed to .
He added: “Farmers are already investing heavily in environmental measures, yet every time there’s a press release, it’s the agricultural community that’s in the firing line.
"Meanwhile, the State’s own pollution is excused or ignored.
"Where is the balance here? It's time for some fairness, it's time the State was held to account and it's time for the director general to step aside.”
The Cork South-West TD also pointed to recent reports by the Agricultural Appeals Office and independent farm groups which he said underlined "the need for a more practical, science-based approach to regulation – one that respects the role of food producers and acknowledges regional realities".
“What we need is common sense.
“The EPA should stop deflecting and start holding state agencies to the same standard it demands of ordinary farmers. Get the basics right – stop the untreated sewage, fix the water treatment plants, and then we can talk about the rest," Deputy Collins said.