“The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) is deeply concerned and frustrated by developments suggesting that Ireland is required to demonstrate added compliance with the Habitat’s Directive, as part of its application for a Nitrates Derogation,” ICOS President, Edward Carr has stated in a letter sent this morning to Jessika Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy.

Addressing Commissioner Roswall on behalf of Irish dairy co-operatives and their farmer members, Edward Carr stated:

“This is a very significant and unexpected departure that adds a new and potentially onerous layer of compliance to the Nitrates Derogation that was never envisaged when the Nitrates Directive and Habitats Directive came into force in Ireland in the early 1990’s.  

“Farmers and their co-operatives have embraced their responsibilities in terms of adopting environmental best practice. We have seen very positive outcomes with nitrate concentrations in Irish rivers declining significantly in 2024. This new development related to the Habitat’s Directive is deeply frustrating given the ongoing national movement to improve water quality led by farmers, dairy co-ops, the meat and tillage sectors, Teagasc and LAWPRO.

“The Irish Government is preparing a response to the European Commission. However, ICOS maintains that before any process is agreed to with the Commission, we need to know what the implications will be for farm families and very important food industry.”

ICOS also confirmed this morning that a delegation of co-op chairpersons will travel to Brussels on the 15^th and 16^th of July next week to meet with Irish MEPs and the European Commission on the matter, including Commissioner Roswall’s Head of Cabinet, Ms. Paulina Dejmek Hack.

Edward Carr commented, “We will strongly impress on the European Commission our deep concerns that this development will have for business certainty at farm and processing level and for generational renewal in the sector.

“We will use the opportunity to reinforce to the Commission the benefits of Ireland’s unique grass-based system and the strong momentum building in Ireland on water quality and the verifiable improvement in water quality, as well as other environmental metrics such as climate and ammonia.

“The dairy co-op sector has a strong track record of delivering pioneering initiatives on sustainability to support our members and family farms and a strong track record of collaboration and working together. We will continue with these efforts to protect the environment and to ensure the future of Ireland’s grass-based system of production that depends on a workable nitrates derogation,” Edward Carr concluded.