Retain the nitrates derogation for farmers

What this means

• The Irish government has committed to keeping the nitrates derogation for farmers, which allows higher levels of organic nitrogen on farmland than standard EU rules permit.[source]
• The commitment is led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under Minister Martin Heydon and was set out in the Programme for Government on 23 January 2025.[source]
• The plan involves pursuing a renewal of the derogation alongside measures to improve water quality, meaning farmers must show environmental progress to keep the benefit.[source]
• This commitment is currently in progress with no confirmed delivery date, so the public and farming sector cannot yet know when or if it will be secured.[source]
• Losing the derogation would restrict how much livestock manure farmers can spread, directly affecting farm incomes and land management across Ireland.[source]

Direct impact (2)

• delivery owned by body
  Department of Agriculture, Food and the MarineBody
• delivery owned by officeholder
  Martin HeydonOfficeholder

Indirect impact (8)

Two-hop relationships traced through the entity above. Useful for spotting downstream knock-on effects.

• delivery owned by officeholder → holds role: Teachta Dála2-hop via martin-heydon
  Dáil ÉireannBody
• delivery owned by body → owns statutory mandate2-hop via dept-agriculture
  Agriculture, food, forestry and marine policyMandate
• delivery owned by body → owns statutory mandate2-hop via dept-agriculture
  Administration of the Common Agricultural Policy in IrelandMandate
• delivery owned by body → holds role: Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine2-hop via dept-agriculture
  Noel GrealishOfficeholder
• delivery owned by body → holds role: Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment2-hop via dept-agriculture
  Timmy DooleyOfficeholder
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-agriculture
  Review and protect farm income support schemesCommitment
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-agriculture
  Increase afforestation and support the forestry sectorCommitment
• delivery owned by officeholder → member of party2-hop via martin-heydon
  Fine GaelParty