Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

According to Met Éireann, as a result of the amount of rainfall since August, the ground is saturated. Farmers do not want to spread slurry at the moment, because when the ground is saturated, there is a risk of it running into rivers. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine this morning stated there will be no extension. The Minister should be clear that there is slurry in sheds at the moment. Farmers will not leave cattle in them. They will not spread in the wrong conditions. It would be prudent of the Department to give an extension in the coming weeks because if it does not, farmers will spread when conditions are right whether the Department likes it or not. We need to work with farmers.

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