I want to raise with the Taoiseach his Government's handling of the nitrates derogation, which has caused a huge amount of anger and stress for farmers. The issue originates in the Government's decision to sign up to a flawed review mechanism in the first place. As the Taoiseach will be aware, farmers acted on and implemented measures to improve water quality but time has not been allowed to see the effect of those actions. Instead they feel the rug has been pulled from under them. The map outlining areas facing a derogation stock cut from next year was published yesterday. This has now become very real . The Taoiseach made a commitment some weeks ago to invite the Commissioner to come to Ireland to reopen this matter with them. Is this meeting going to happen? When will this meeting happen? Is the matter to be revisited? What exactly will the Taoiseach say to the Commissioner as and when they meet?

I have written to the Commissioner. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, and I have invited him to come to Ireland to discuss this matter with us and to visit an Irish farm to see how well-managed our beef and dairy sector is. He has agreed to come but I do not have a date as yet for this to happen. I look forward to that engagement. Of course, the overarching priority for the Government is to make sure that we hold on to the 220 kg N/ha derogation. I believe that reducing this to 175 kg N/ha would inflict serious damage on farm incomes and on our food export sector, which is important to this society and economy as a whole. The decision is made in relation to 250 kg N/ha but we have got some flexibility on that. The Deputy will see in the maps that came out last night that it provides for about 250 farms to continue to use 250 kg N/ha. Of course we will explore any other possible flexibility with the Commissioner when he visits and meets with me and the Minister. I do not, however, want to raise false expectations as to what is possible and what is not.

That is not the commitment the Government made to the farmers.

The Taoiseach has changed his position.