Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025
Specific Details
Plant Protection Product
Intended results
To acknowledge the welcome decision to grant a derogation in 2024 for the plant protection product Diquat (Reglone), which was crucial for the potato sector and played a key role in the harvest last year. The timely granting of last year's derogation ensured that all potatoes were harvested. Unfortunately, there are still no desiccant alternatives available to Irish growers which have the efficacy of Diquat under Irish conditions.
To highlight that the lack of a viable alternative poses serious agronomic and economic risks. Inadequate haulm destruction leads to delayed harvest, increased disease pressure (especially from late blight), compromised tuber skin set, and higher risks of damage during lifting. These factors jeopardise not only yield and quality but also the viability of supply contracts with processors and retailers.
To highlight that Diquat facilitates rapid and uniform haulm destruction, allowing for timely harvesting, especially under tight weather windows. Without such tools, farmers may face increased risks of crop losses due to delayed harvests and deteriorating field conditions.
That the decommissioning of Diquat will have significant detrimental effects on the potato sector including
• Potential delay of the potato harvest season, leading to difficult harvesting conditions and higher crop losses
• Potato farmer margins may be eroded due to lower crop yields and quality issues.
• The potential growth of the potato sector will be stunted.
• Use of alternatives with lower efficacy will in turn cause higher food waste levels.
• Increased crop losses may lead to potato scarcity and to further food inflation next year.
• In the case of a blight outbreak, especially with the highly transmissible EU-43 strain, no rapid desiccation product is available to burn down a crop rapidly and reduce the risk of transmission.
That, in accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, there is provision to grant authorisation for emergency use of a plant protection product if required. Given the absence of suitable alternatives for the potato sector and the uncertainly of conditions at harvest time, IFA is requesting an emergency derogation for the Plant Protection Product Diquat from the 1st of August 2025 to the 31st of October 2025.
To highlight that, under a potential emergency authorisation for use of Diquat in Ireland, IFA proposes that the same risk mitigation measures would apply as per last year's authorisation. In this regard a part rate of the product would be required to desiccate the leaves and then follow on with one of the approved products on the stems.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Sean Ryan IFA Potato Chair, Niamh Brennan IFA Senior Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Brian Purcell
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)
Martin Heydon
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)