Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to extend the deadline for farmyard manure spreading in the north west region to accommodate farmers working on the wettest areas of land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45190/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations 2014 give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP).

The objective of the Regulations is to protect groundwater and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers. Ireland has obligations under the Water Framework Directive to protect and improve the quality of its natural waters and it is important to demonstrate that this can be achieved while enabling a sustainable agricultural sector. My Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine work closely together in this regard.

The Directive requires all member states to define set periods when the land application of fertiliser is not allowed. Findings from the Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP) operated by Teagasc support the current closed periods in Ireland. A key message from the research is that there are disproportionately high nutrient losses to waters from agriculture during the winter and the current closed period coincides with the time during which risks of incidental nutrient losses to water are highest. The closed season for the landspreading of farmyard manure in Ireland commences from Wednesday 1 November. The closed periods were decided following extensive public consultation and were discussed with farming bodies and the European Commission at the time.

The NAP was reviewed in 2010 and 2013. The third review of the NAP is due to be completed by the end of this year and we are now at a critical juncture in the context of those negotiations with the European Commission. A major priority for Ireland is the renewal of the Nitrates Derogation, which allows more intensive farms to operate at higher stocking rates and expires at the end of this year.

In that context and with a week to go until 1 November, it is premature to consider any actions outside this agreed framework. However, the situation will be kept under review by both Departments.