Gorey family farm focus on water quality 

By Dan Walsh

At a visit on the family farm of Cheryl and Alan Poole, near Gorey, a practical focus on maintaining and enhancing water quality was highlighted as part of Tirlán’s Farming for Water: River Slaney Project aimed at improving the catchment running through Ireland’s south-east. The programme is part of Ireland’s overall Farming for Water EIP and aligned with the Teagasc ‘Better Farming for Water’ programme to deliver and support a science-based knowledge transfer and best practice approach.

Tirlán’s Chairperson John Murphy emphasised that the good work seen on the Poole’s family farm in County Wexford was reflective of work underway on farms right across the country.

“Tirlán and its farmers remain committed to improving water quality in river catchments as it is the right thing to do for our land and rivers, our families and our communities,” said Mr. Murphy, who added; “Tirlán has invested significant resources to deliver our water quality programmes based on best practice. We have always found our farmers to be highly adaptable and have shown they want to do their best for their lands and their communities.

“We’d like to thank the EU Commission team for their time and commitment to visiting to witness first-hand the large body of work underway on Irish farms,” concluded Mr. Murphy.

Tirlán joined organisations from across the Irish agri-food sector to highlight Ireland’s collaborative approach to enhancing water quality and supporting the retention of the Nitrates Derogation during the EU Commission’s visit to Ireland.

Tirlán joined key organisations including officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Dairy Industry Ireland (DII); Meat Industry Ireland (MII); Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) and other processing Co-ops; Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA); Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA); Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO); An Taisce and other organisations at a roundtable discussion which highlighted Ireland’s commitment and whole-of-sector approach to protecting and improving water quality.

The Commission representatives included Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director General for Environment; Gorka Barrio Montoya, Policy Officer Nitrates Directive in the EU DG Environment, Land Use and Management and Jonathan Claridge, Deputy Head of European Commission Representation – Ireland.