Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is continuing to lobby for a slurry spreading deadline extension; the steps he has taken to extend the slurry spreading deadline; and if not, the reasons he has ceased or scaled down his requests to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for an extension. [33937/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government announced on 12 October 2011 an extension to the period during which slurry may be spread, up to 31 October 2011. I had sought this extension, as an exceptional once off measure, because of the abnormally high rainfall during the month of September in particular, which caused significant hardship for farmers and made it extremely difficult to carry out regular farming activity.

The Nitrates Regulations were reviewed in 2010 and amongst the wide range of submissions considered by an Expert Advisory Group established by my Department and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, were a number seeking increased flexibility with regard to the commencement of the closed period for spreading organic fertiliser. The Expert Advisory Group concluded that the scientific evidence showed the application of organic fertiliser at this time of the year represents an unacceptable risk to the environment as well as a loss of a valuable fertiliser product as there is little or no take-up of nutrient by grass or other plants during the dormant season.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has stated that he is not prepared to consider a further extension to the period for spreading slurry.