The past, present & future of water quality in Ireland

In this bonus episode of the Environment Edge podcast, Jenny Deakin EPA catchment unit manager joins Teagasc’s Cathal Somers and Deirdre Glynn to discuss the past, present & future of water quality in Ireland and how climate change will challenge us all.

This is a new environment podcast which has been launched by Teagasc and adds to its existing suite of enterprise and research podcasts. The Environment Edge will focus on challenges and opportunities in agriculture. Presented by Cathal Somers and Deirdre Glynn from Teagasc, this podcast will bring the latest information, science and opinion on farm sustainability.

In the second half of the podcast, Teagasc’s Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer, Pat Murphy, explains why he believes farmers are up to the challenge of improving water quality through research, advisory, education, collaboration and improved efficiency on the farm.

Speaking about the challenges facing agriculture, Pat Murphy said; “It has become clear that the environmental footprint of agriculture must be reduced. This entails reducing gaseous emissions, improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity. In Ireland, agriculture has a profound impact on the environment. A huge amount of research has provided us with a good understanding of these impacts, as well as providing an insight into technologies and farming systems which can reduce gaseous emissions, lead to improved water quality, reduce biodiversity loss and improve soil health. While further research is needed, there is now an urgent requirement to improve the implementation of practices that improve environmental outcomes.”

For more episodes and information covered on the Environment Edge, visit the show page at: www.teagasc.ie/environmentedge/