Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

There is a water action plan, which I launched a number of months ago, and it is anticipated there will be more inspections as well as funding to increase the number of inspectors at local authority level. This is about retention of the nitrates derogation. It is critically important to this country and we all can agree on that here. It is also about improving our water quality and we have a significant challenge. The farmers out there might note there is Waters of LIFE, which is a really good European innovation partnership we want farmers to participate in. I am not sure about the inspection of very small holdings, but that is something we can look into. I again encourage farmers to be involved in schemes that are out there to improve water quality. We all want to achieve good water quality and certainly it is in all our interest and the interest of farmers to retain the nitrates derogation.

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