New data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that nitrogen levels in waters nationally have reduced in the first half of 2024 compared to other years, and that they could be at the lowest they have been since 2016.

However, it said it is too early to identify the cause of the reduction in nitrogen levels in major Irish rivers.

Although based on a limited number of monitoring stations, these data provide a good representation of nitrogen concentrations nationally, and are likely to reflect the overall situation for 2024, according to the the Early Insights Indicator report on Nitrogen concentrations in selected major rivers was published yesterday.

A spokesperson for the EPA told the Farming Independent that: “It is too early to identify the cause of the reductions.

“A full assessment of the 2024 annual nitrogen concentration data will be published in 2025 which will provide further analysis and insight. The next 6-monthly update for the early insight indicator will be published in Q1 of 2025,” the EPA said.

Director of Policy and Chief Economist with the Irish Farmers Association, Tadhg Buckley welcomed the report on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting the nitrogen reduction signals that: “the multiple measures undertaken by farmers across the country are starting to bear fruit.”

Currently, only two European Union member states, Ireland and the Netherlands, have active Nitrates Derogation under the EU Nitrates Directive.

These derogations allow farmers in specific areas to exceed the standard stocking rate limit of 170 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare, provided they meet stricter environmental regulations. However, these derogations are under scrutiny due to concerns over water quality.

In August, Denmark announced it will not seek a renewal for its derogation. The Netherlands is set to lose its derogation at the end of 2025.

Ireland's derogation, recently reduced to a 220 kg limit in certain areas due to water quality concerns, remains in effect until 2026.

Last month, IFA President Francie Gorman said that water quality was not taken seriously enough in the past and the Nitrates Derogation was taken for granted.

“We took our eye off the ball — if you go back 10 years ago — we took it for granted that we’d always have the Nitrates Derogation,” he told RTÉ’s CountryWide.

Reporting on:independent.ie