Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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278. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will extend the slurry spreading date until the end of October for farmers and the farm yard manure dates until 15 November in view of August and September being particularly wet months and land spreading not being possible due to wet conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41031/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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280. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on extending the slurry spreading deadline for exceptional cases in which land has been severely damaged by wet weather. [41204/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 280 together.

The Nitrates Directive and Ireland's National Nitrates Action Programme are given legal effect by the consolidated European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended. The objective of the Regulations is to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers. 

Good agricultural practice involves the land spreading of organic fertilisers such as slurry as early as practicable in the growing season in order to maximise the uptake of nutrients by crops and to minimise pollution risks to water courses and groundwaters. In accordance with the requirements of the Nitrates Directive, the Regulations include provisions regarding periods when the land application of certain types of fertilisers is prohibited. In addition, the Regulations prohibit such application at any time of the year when the ground is frozen, waterlogged or heavy rain is forecast. 

Specified closed periods for the spreading of fertilisers, including slurry, are a key aspect of the Nitrates Regulations. They are a requirement of the Nitrates Directive and are mandatory in every Member State.  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 being introduced. The provisions of the Regulations are underpinned by scientific research and good agricultural practice and a key message from that research is that a disproportionate level of nutrient loss from agriculture to water occurs during the closed period, when grass growth is limited.

I have no plans at present to extend the spreading periods for any fertilisers in 2017.