Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 1674: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will include within the definition of peat soils used by the Forest Service not only the wider considerations of species selection, estimation of potential rooting depth, potential yield, and crop stability and so on, but also the peat soil classification criterion by organic matter content as used to determine the permitted levels of application for fertiliser for agricultural purposes under the Nitrates Directive.. [33419/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The definition of peat soils used by my Department is taken from Peatlands of Ireland, Soil Survey Bulletin by R.F. Hammond (1979). It constitutes a peat layer greater than 30 cm on drained peats and greater than 45 cm on undrained peats. It is not proposed to change this.

The soil classification criterion used in the Nitrates regulations, the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice For Protection of Waters) Regulations 2009 relates to the application of fertiliser for agricultural purposes only.