Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is today, Tuesday, March 4 expected to bring a memo to cabinet where he will outline a roadmap to secure a renewal of Ireland's nitrates derogation.

Ireland’s nitrates derogation allows farmers to farm at higher stocking rates, above 170kg livestock manure nitrogen/ha across the entire land declared on the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS) application.

This is subject to additional conditions designed to protect the environment. 

The European Commission Implementing Decision granting Ireland’s current nitrates derogation, required Ireland to undertake a two-year review of water quality in 2023.

A derogation limit of 220kg organic N/ha applied from January 1, 2024 for all area that failed that review.

Ireland's four-year derogation is due to expire on December 31, 2025 and securing its renewal has been listed a Programme for Government priority.

Negotiations for the derogation are expected to be difficult and the EU Commission will need to be convinced that Ireland is taking effective steps to improve water quality if it is to recommend a derogation for Ireland to member states.

Ireland is set to make presentations to the EU's Nitrates Committee in March, June and September this year setting out Ireland's case for a renewal prior to a vote potentially scheduled for December.

Ireland's 6th Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) will be central to underpinning the renewal case, according to the minister.

It is understood work has commenced on the sixth NAP and it will be developed over the coming weeks in consultation with farm and industry stakeholders through the Agriculture Water Quality Group.

The work of this body will feed into a newly established Cabinet Committee on Water Quality which is due to hold its first meeting in April.