Over 2,100 Cork farmers apply for nitrates derogation
6,814 farmers applied to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) for a nitrates derogation in 2021.
The information was released following a recent parliamentary question to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue from Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy.
The figures show that Co. Cork had the highest number of applications last year at over 2,100.
This was followed by counties Tipperary, with 862 applications and Kilkenny, with 515. Counties Leitrim and Dublin had fewer than five applications each.
The minister said that the over 1.7 million cattle were on derogation farms in 2021.
The following table shows the county-by-county breakdown for nitrates derogation applications in 2021:
| County | Number of nitrates derogation applications 2021 | Number of bovines on nitrates derogation farms 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Carlow | 93 | 25,267 |
| Cavan | 112 | 24,136 |
| Clare | 58 | 11,095 |
| Cork | 2,132 | 505,860 |
| Donegal | 94 | 29,127 |
| Dublin | Less than 5 | 576 |
| Galway | 152 | 35,726 |
| Kerry | 373 | 73,972 |
| Kildare | 70 | 22,145 |
| Kilkenny | 515 | 149,692 |
| Laois | 258 | 72,239 |
| Leitrim | Less than 5 | 520 |
| Limerick | 354 | 94,786 |
| Longford | 72 | 5,159 |
| Louth | 83 | 23,743 |
| Mayo | 39 | 8,276 |
| Meath | 171 | 70,096 |
| Monaghan | 252 | 45,171 |
| Offaly | 144 | 43,713 |
| Roscommon | 18 | 6,535 |
| Sligo | 12 | 3,312 |
| Tipperary | 862 | 233,683 |
| Waterford | 405 | 114,364 |
| Westmeath | 70 | 26,038 |
| Wexford | 383 | 98,815 |
| Wicklow | 87 | 25,391 |
| Total | 6,814 | 1,749,437 |
Under European Union regulations, the amount of livestock manure applied to land in any year, together with that deposited by livestock, shall not exceed 170kg of nitrogen (N) per hectare, or the limit of 250kg of N/ha for those who hold an approved nitrates derogation.
The minister noted that checks for compliance in 2021 with the Nitrates Regulations, including the derogation, are still ongoing.
"Applicants who fail to meet certain terms and conditions cannot avail of the nitrates derogation so the number of farmers that availed of a nitrates derogation in a particular year can only be confirmed once all checks for that year have been completed," McConalogue stated.
