Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Crawford is correct and this issue has been raised by the cross-Border group and pig farmers. Another practical issue is that there are many part-time farmers and it is easier for them to spread artificial manure on a Saturday as opposed to meeting another farmer to acquire organic manure. Teagasc and farmers state that organic manure is better than bags of bought fertiliser. We have examined this from a REPS point of view. People are afraid of it, which is silly as it is organic.

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