Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Robin Swann MLA, has welcomed the EU’s approval for the renewal of Northern Ireland’s nitrates derogation.

Following their decision to drop several of the major ammonia measures, he commended DAERA for listening to the views of the local industry, but warned that they should never had made proposals at this time in the first place.

Robin Swann said:

“The nitrates derogation is absolutely essential for Northern Ireland. Its importance cannot be overemphasised for a large number of local farms, so that’s why there can be a collective sigh of relief now that it has once again been secured.

“DAERA were completely misguided and wrong however to try to tie together major ammonia reduction measures with the Nitrates Plan. They had wanted new restrictions such as a requirement to cover all tanks and a move towards a ban on slurry splash plates.  My Party raised our objections to the Department trying to do the two things at once when we met them again last week.

“I am glad that many of those sort of the initial proposals have now been dropped; at least in the meantime. I think it quickly became apparent to the officials that there was significant opposition to not just the measures, but also to how the Department had try to shoehorn them onto a completely separate piece of work.

“I’m glad that not only have several of the proposals been scrapped, I also welcome the fact that there have been big changes to some of the others.  There is still much ambiguity however, especially as to what constitutes a large farm in relation to the slurry spreading restrictions, so it is essential that when the Department moves towards developing its ammonia plan that it listens not only to what its own officials want, but also to what industry has to say.”