Retaining the nitrates derogation has caused misery and hardship for farmers over the last 15 months, MEP candidate for Ireland South Eddie Punch has said.

Speaking at Cork Marts, Fermoy, on Tuesday night at the first of the Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA) four MEP candidate meetings, Punch said that farmers have bent over backwards to try to be more sustainable, reduce emissions and improve water quality.

Some 12 MEP candidates running for Europe in Ireland South attended the hustings.

"Yet there has been for the last five years a constant refrain about how farmers are the biggest cause of global warming, a constant refrain about how farmers are the only ones to blame for water quality.

"Governments have sat idly by. In 1973, we had 7.3m cattle and today we have 7.4m cattle, but if you were to listen to the debate for the last five years, you would think that farmers have lost control of their whole system and have blown up the size of the national herd," he said.

Population doubled

In the time from 1973, Punch highlighted how world population has doubled despite cattle numbers staying relatively stable.

This was echoed by dairy farmers in the room on the night, who expressed concerns about having to comply with new regulations following the cut to the derogation from 250kg N/ha to 220kg N/ha from 1 January 2024.

Limerick dairy farmer Louise Crowley said that she cannot put in place a five-year plan for her farm due to the uncertainty around further cuts to the derogation.

"If we lose the derogation, if it goes any more, I'm out of business and that will be the end of our family farm.

"Last September, I sat in front of Leo Varadkar and I explained the impact this derogation cut would have on our farm. I watched my cows go up on a truck this evening because of that," she said.

Red tape

The MEP candidates on the night were asked what they would do to reduce the regulation burden on farmers if elected to the European Parliament.

Fianna Fáil candidate for Ireland South Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said: "I can pledge to all of you in the room tonight, as a legislator, I'm somebody who reads laws for a living - I go into court, I have to know the law, I've to know the statutory instrument.

"I will scrutinise every piece of legislation that comes across my table in relation to rules, directive and regulations for farmers. If it is overdosed with red tape - I will vote against it."

The IFA will host three more candidate hustings between now and elections on 8 June.