Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, MEP for Ireland South, has urged the European Commission to retain Ireland’s nitrates derogation, but cautioned that it cannot come with conditions that make it unworkable for famers, or economically unviable.
Ní Mhurchú, along with her colleagues in the European Parliament, have made it clear to the EU Commission and individual Commissioners that removing the derogation would deliver a severe blow to family farms, rural communities, and the broader agri-food economy in Ireland — without guaranteeing measurable improvements in water quality.
“Farmers across Ireland have made substantial progress in reducing nutrient losses and improving environmental standards,” said Ní Mhurchú. “This has come about through substantial investments by them incurring large borrowings and repayments.”
“Since 2019, we have seen a reduction in total nitrogen load in our rivers by a quarter — a result of hard work, investment, and new on-farm measures. We must build on that progress, not punish those who have delivered it.”
Ní Mhurchú warned of the knock-on consequences of removing the derogation on processing, transport, and local business sectors across rural Ireland. The Ireland South MEP also raised the fact that investments by farmers are in jeopardy as lending institutions apply strict stress testing to the “lack of certainty” around derogation farming.
The Ireland South MEP said it is now time for all politicians to work together in one final push to ensure that not only do we retain the derogation but that it doesn’t come with a raft of unworkable terms and conditions attached.
According to Ní Mhurchú,
“We have been communicating to our colleagues in Brussels that the nitrates derogation is not a licence to pollute — but rather a recognition that Ireland’s grass-based system can maintain productivity while safeguarding our water and environment.”
Ní Mhurchú continued, “Removing it now would destabilise land markets, inflate rental prices, and undermine the very viability of our rural economy. In particular tillage farmers could simply not compete with dairy farmers for renting or buying lands.”
Recent data also shows that counties with the highest concentrations of derogation farms, such as Cork, are among those with the best river water quality — underscoring that agriculture is not the sole factor influencing water outcomes. Urban pressures, population density, and legacy infrastructure all play major roles.
Ní Mhurchú further cautioned that expanding regulatory demands under the Habitats Directive risked placing unsustainable administrative burdens on Irish farmers.
“The EU must align its environmental ambition with economic reality,” she said. “We need policy coherence that supports competitiveness, simplification, and generational renewal — not additional red tape that drives farmers out of business.”
Ní Mhurchú concluded:
“Irish farmers have shown that partnership, not punishment, delivers progress. Retaining a workable nitrates derogation is essential to sustaining that momentum, protecting rural incomes, and securing our place as a leader in sustainable food production.”
ENDS
