Mullooly hosts a German MEP visit to two Irish farms

A German MEP has pledged to support the campaign of Irish farmers to retain the nitrates derogation after visiting two intensive dairy farms in county Longford last weekend. 

Ciaran Mullooly MEP, (Midlands North West ) Christine Singer MEP (Bavaria, Germany) with John and Anne Sheridan and their daughter Mary on their farm in Firmount, Edgeworthstown at the weekend . Also included in photo is John O Hanlon of the Irish Farmers Associston.

Ciaran Mullooly MEP (Midlands / North West) with Christine Singer MEP (Bavaria , Germany) and Joe McGreal Corbeagh House Ballinalee on his dairy farm in County Longford at the weekend

Bavarian-based MEP Christine Singer accepted the invitation from the Independent Ireland Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly to come and see for herself the potential damage that losing the derogation could cause to the grass-based enterprise here by embarking on a fact-finding visit to two progressive Longford Farms and then supporting MEP Mullooly’s plans to directly engage with all EU council of ministers and fellow EU MEPS in the next 12 months. 

With the Nitrates Derogation Coming up for review in Europe, Ciaran Mullooly has committed already to briefing all fellow Members of the powerful EU Agricultural Committee first-hand on the  importance of the derogation for Irish grass-based Farmers 

Christine Singer a dairy farmer herself and MEP from Germany was the first MEP on the committee to accept Mullooly's invitation to visit and has now stated that she will be supporting the Irish case to maintain the Nitrates Degradation for Ireland 

Singer and Mullooly first visited the farm of Ann and John  Sheridan and their family at Firmount, Edgeworthstown. After walking the paddocks and meeting regional IFA staff, She saw the work they have already started on a new slurry storage facility on the farm and stated that she is very impressed with the new technology that is being used on Irish farms to further reduce the impact on the environment.

On a visit to the farm of Joe and Barbara McGreal and their son Cathal at Corbeagh house in Ballinalee, Ciaran Mullooly MEP said it is clear by the level of investment on both farms that they are very much committed to adopting new farming practices to enhance the environment. “With the increase in clover in Irish grass and both the use of protected Urea and new direct slurry injection into the soil, Mullooly  said, “Our farmers are doing more than their fair share of the work to cope with the challenge ahead.”

Christine Singer and Ciaran Mullooly complimented both farmers she visited and will now work together to win the hearts and minds of the new EU commissioners for Environment and Agriculture in supporting the campaign for the retention of the Derogation in the next crucial 12-month period.

“We know the European Parliament will not decide this matter so we must all work together to ensure that the new commissioners are made abundantly aware of the importance of the derogation to our farmers” Ciaran said, “visits like this week are hugely important in getting the message to our colleagues in the other member states.”