Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has said that the government is "putting a clear focus on supporting derogation farmers".

Ireland is currently seeking to retain its nitrates derogation after 2025, which allows for an excess of 170kg livestock manure nitrogen per hectare to be applied.

It is the only member state in the EU seeking to do so.

It was announced in July by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that the European Commission has told Ireland it “must demonstrate compliance” with the Habitats Directive when granting farmers a nitrates derogation.

This is expected to form parts of the conditions Ireland will have to meet to retain the nitrates derogation after 2026.

According to the minister, the European Commission wrote to Ireland in June and outlined "quite clearly that they needed us to take regard of the Habitats Directive as well as the water quality" in any new derogation application.

Speaking at the Virginia Show in Co. Cavan today (Wednesday, August 20), Minister Heydon said: "I can absolutely promise people I'm going to do my level best to get a solution that continues the derogation beyond the end of this year, that gives us time to deal with the realities that are there.

"We have made huge progress in terms of our approach on water quality and beyond.

"We know we have the Habitats [Directive] element there that we have to deal with, and we are capable of doing that, to be able to give the reassurances that are required from that perspective."

The minister said that the Virginia Show today highlights the "importance of our dairy sector, worth €6.3bn" in exports last year to the Irish economy.

"That's why the Irish government is putting such a clear focus on supporting our derogation farmers," Minister Heydon added.

"It is my top priority along with the renegotiation of the CAP, and we will leave no stone unturned in engaging with colleagues across Europe but also on a national level with industry.

"We'll put our best foot forward to secure the derogation into the future."

The minister also addressed the issue of generational renewal.

Agriland reported this week that the highly-anticipated report from the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming has not yet been submitted to the minister.

The commission launched a public consultation on generational renewal late last year. The commission's findings were expected to be published in a report at the end of June this year.

Minister Heydon said at the Virginia Show: "I hope and expect to get that in the coming weeks.

"Generational renewal is a massive issue."

Thanking the commission for its work, the minister added: "We hoped they'd be able to report back earlier in the summer, but they got such a level of engagement that they requested more time to be able to formulate that [report].

"I'm looking forward to receiving that."