346 Mr. N. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make available a copy of the document or letter which he has received from the European Commission regarding Ireland’s application for a derogation from the nitrates directive; the reason the EU wants a scientific basis for a derogation based on a nutrient management plan for each farmer; if it has objected to the levels of storage being suggested; if they have queried the spreading periods of slurry or farm waste in different parts of the country; his views on whether, in certain areas, a period of 22 weeks would be the norm for spreading vis-à-vis other areas in which 12 to 14 weeks would be the norm; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are 140,000 registered farmers here but only 20,000 real commercial farmers; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that if these restrictions are imposed and no protection is put in place for intensive commercial farmers, Ireland will finish up with no pig industry, no poultry industry, no mushroom industry and intensive dairy farmers will disappear due to the exorbitant costs that farmers will be burdened with in putting these envisaged proposals in place; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that with the present economic profitability of farming, it will not be possible for farmers to make ends meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2705/05]

Summary

346 Mr. N. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make available a copy of the document or letter which he has received from the European Commission regarding Ireland’s application for a derogation from the nitrates directive; the reason the EU wants a scientific basis for a derogation based on a nutrient management plan for each farmer; if it has objected to the levels of storage being suggested; if they have queried the spreading periods of slurry or farm waste in different parts of the country; his views on whether, in certain areas, a period of 22 weeks would be the norm for spreading vis-à-vis other areas in which 12 to 14 weeks would be the norm; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are 140,000 registered farmers here but only 20,000 real commercial farmers; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that if these restrictions are imposed and no protection is put in place for intensive commercial farmers, Ireland will finish up with no pig industry, no poultry industry, no mushroom industry and intensive dairy farmers will disappear due to the exorbitant costs that farmers will be burdened with in putting these envisaged proposals in place; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that with the present economic profitability of farming, it will not be possible for farmers to make ends meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2705/05]

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