Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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115. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will implement stricter enforcement of the protocol for the spreading of bio-solids and sludge as many residents in affected areas of County Meath are concerned regarding the strong odour which comes from fields in which bio-solids and sludge spreading takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33961/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department has responsibility for the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014. These Regulations set requirements for all land-spreading, including the spreading of sewage sludge, and are designed to provide additional protection to waters from agricultural sources. They include measures such as set periods when the land spreading of fertilisers are prohibited; limits on the land application of fertilisers; and set distances from water bodies including boreholes, springs and wells for the abstraction of water used for human consumption and storage requirements.

In addition to the above, the spreading of sewage sludge on agricultural land is subject to compliance with relevant codes of practice such as the Code of Good Practice for the Use of Bio - solids in Agriculture. This Code has been designed to ensure that the use of bio - solids in agriculture will, inter alia, not pose a risk to human, animal or plant health, avoid water and air pollution and minimise public inconvenience. In this regard, the Code includes guidelines on the minimum buffer zones to be observed when spreading bio-solids in the vicinity of particular structures or features, such as sensitive buildings, dwellings, domestic wells, lakes or small watercourses.

My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, also has responsibilities in this area under a number of waste management regulations dealing with the use of sewage sludge, including the registration of sewage sludge facilities by local authorities.