Ministers O’Brien and McConalogue launch public consultation on additional measures for Nitrates Action Programme and the Natura Impact Statement

 
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD have today launched a public consultation to take into account public views on the Draft Additional Measures for the Fifth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) and the Natura Impact Statement (NIS). 
 
Ireland’s NAP gives effect to the requirements of the Nitrates Directive in Ireland and is a critical piece of legislation to protect water quality from agriculture. The current Fifth NAP runs from 2022-2025 and the changes proposed are an important element of the interim review of the programme, which commenced in 2023. These additional actions are aimed at delivering improvements in water quality and follow extensive review and stakeholder engagement with the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group resulting in recommendations to both Ministers on the actions proposed. 
 
The Additional Measures and the Natura Impact Statement reports are published on both Departments’ websites to accompany a 30 day consultation process. 
 
Minister O’Brien today emphasised:
 
“It is clear that some additional measures are needed to improve and protect water quality. However, we need to ensure that the additional measures are the right ones to deliver these necessary improvements. The public consultation process is an important step in ensuring those most affected are listened to and that the most appropriate measures are proposed. Therefore we invite and welcome all submissions”.
 
Minister McConalogue added:
 
“All farmers and agri sector stakeholders have a role to play in delivering on Ireland’s water quality goals. It is such collaboration, as is being channelled through the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group (WQG) I established in May 2023, that will see the dial turn for our water quality.  These additional measures, in combination with the existing measures already being undertaken and embraced by farmers, are part of a whole of industry effort to deliver the required water quality improvements to secure a Nitrates Derogation into the future.”
 
A separate four-week public consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Fifth NAP additional measures is scheduled to start in mid-November. 
 
In addition to ensuring implementation of all additional measures, both Departments will be working closely on developing and finalising the Sixth NAP to be in place by the 1 January 2026. The Sixth NAP must be in place before a vote on Ireland’s derogation renewal by Member States can occur.