The principle that the polluter should pay for damage caused to the environment is embedded in European law.
The principle that the polluter should pay for damage caused to the environment is embedded in European law. But successive Irish governments have been reluctant to implement this approach, especially as the major offenders are found within the powerful farming lobby. Instead, they have opted for inaction and have deferred unpopular decisions. EU regulations are ignored and those farmers whose activities are making this country a bright green and often foul-smelling land, have gone unchallenged as the quality of our waterways and air deteriorate.
The European Commission is now threatening to withhold subsidies worth up to £1.95 billion unless the Government establishes nitrate vulnerable zones, where animal stocking levels and slurry and fertiliser spreading would be limited in order to minimise pollution. Threats of action before the European Court have had no effect. After ten years, Ireland is the only EU State not to have designated any protection area under the 1991 Nitrates Directive. But now, the EU is talking cash. Last year's agreement for CAP funding was subject to nitrate vulnerable zones being established and, if that doesn't happen, very large amounts of money may be withheld by the EU.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, will bring proposals to Cabinet on a range of issues that affect agriculture later this month. Nitrate vulnerable zones may be established for major river catchments or, alternatively, the entire State may be designated under the scheme.
Should Ministers decide to avoid duplication by adopting a countrywide approach to agricultural pollution, then other regulations such as the EU Phosphates Directive may also be included along with the Water Framework Directive, the Waste Directive and the National Climate Change Strategy.
Measures to combat nitrate pollution are urgently required. But the Environment Protection Agency is also seeking to reduce the excessive use of phosphates. In the ten years to 1998, it was estimated that farmers had unnecessarily spread more than half-a-million tonnes of phosphates, wasting in the region of €762m and causing a drastic decline in the quality of water.
The agricultural sector produces almost one-third of our greenhouse emissions and the National Climate Change Strategy envisages a reduction of 5 per cent in the national herd. In that regard, it would make sense to link water and air pollution controls. The question is: has the Government the courage to do it in an election year?