Taoiseach Simon Harris has said it is important to "reset" the conversation with farmers, who he said played a major role and were the "backbone" of the Irish economy.
Mr Harris said retaining the nitrates derogation would require a whole of government and "team Ireland" effort and he said the IFA was very eager and determined about this.
He said members of the IFA had also expressed concern about some of the changes in the Finance Bill with regard to copyright positions, tax and agricultural reliefs.
He said a commencement order could be provided in relation to some of those which meant that they would not come in until there had been consultation.
Mar Harris made his comments at a major farming and food conference at the Curragh Racecourse in Co Kildare today, organised by the IFA.
The Taoiseach also said the burden of retaining the nitrates derogation can not just fall to farmers, but added he believed it was entirely possible to retain, using both science and politics.
He said it was a national economic asset and part of how we do farming in this country, adding that it involved Irish Water and investment in water quality.
Simon Harris said it also involved local authorities and politics at a European level, working at the European Council.
He said there needed to be capital investment in improving water quality.
He said whoever was Taoiseach next would need to establish a whole of government approach on this national issue.
He said there also needed to be cohesion between farming and climate, adding that there had been "a desperate and ill-informed attempt to pit farmers against climate."
On MERCOSUR, the Taoiseach said it was not right to expect Irish farmers to comply with a standard of regulation if this did not apply to those who wished to import the same product into the country.
