Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)

There is another issue with regard to the nitrates directive. In Northern Ireland farmers have been spreading slurry over recent months. However, due to the heavy rainfall we have been getting here, the tanks of every farmer here are full to capacity and overflowing. The Minister is a practical man and I ask him to look also at the regulations in this regard in Northern Ireland. We should be in tandem with them and adopt the same regulations as they appear to be much more flexible.

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