March 2007
Monthly Archive
Cross Compliance and our Drinking Water
Posted by info on 28 Mar 2007 | Tagged as: Environment
As I write this, over 100 people in Co. Galway and Co. Roscommon are seriously ill due to pollution of their drinking water supply. It is still unclear what caused this pollution, but incidents like this should serve to remind us how easily drinking water supplies can become polluted.
However, at last weekend’s Fianna Fail Ard Fheis, a motion was passed calling for the suspension of “no notice” cross-compliance farm inspections and the introduction of a 14 day notice period for all future inspections.
Similarly, the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, met with the IFA Executive Council on Wednesday March 21st, and promised that if Fine Gael were elected to Government, “no notice” farm inspections would end and that the IFA’s demands for 14 days notice of such inspections would be met.
Cross Compliance refers to a set of management procedures that farmers are legally required to implement in order to be eligible for the Single Farm Payment. 4 out of the 19 management procedures covered by Cross Compliance relate to prevention of water pollution. Inspections are carried out on a “No Notice” basis by the Department of Agriculture to increase the probability of uncovering high-risk activity on farms.
If it is the case that the contamination of the water supply in Co. Galway is due to agricultural pollution, will Fianna Fail and Fine Gael honour with their commitments to the IFA?
Or will they finally acknowledge that agricultural pollution of drinking water is a serious issue in the west of Ireland, and forego the electoral endorsement of the IFA in the interests of public health?
I have my doubts.
