Written answers

Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Nitrates Action Programme Implementation

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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276. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will review the issue of restrictions on slurry spreading times in view of the implementation method in other jurisdictions with a view to easing the difficulties that the current calendar based system is causing for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24002/17]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The Directive requires all member states to define set periods when the land application of fertiliser, including slurry, is not allowed and in Ireland the closed season commences on 15 October.

The closed periods in Ireland were decided following extensive consultation and were discussed with farming bodies and the European Commission when Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme was introduced.  The provisions of the Regulations are underpinned by scientific research and good agricultural practice. The most recent scientific studies carried out on a diverse range of farm and soil types as part of Teagasc’s on-going Agricultural Catchments Programme have provided further evidence in support of the efficacy of the prohibited spreading periods in reducing nutrient losses to waters.

Ireland faces considerable challenges in meeting the requirements of the Water Framework Directive to bring all waters back to good status at least. Taking those challenges and the evidence in support of the benefit of closed periods into consideration, I do not intend to make any changes to the closed periods at the present time.

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