Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The practice of Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) is an important environmentally sustainable technology that will facilitate Ireland meeting its environmental commitments through reductions in ammonia and other reactive nitrogen emissions from soil.

The practice leads to greater nutrient recovery from slurries and indirectly improved nutrient use efficiency, as well as a reduced dependency on chemical fertilisers.

To date under TAMS II, 70% of expenditure under LESS was grant aided for dribble bar machines. While each of the LESS options meet nitrate requirements, it is important that the number of trailing shoe units on farms is maximised to help contribute to the agreed 25% reduction in Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions and 5% ammonia reduction from the agriculture sector by 2030.

Teagasc are currently carrying out analysis on the emission factor of the dribble bar compared to the trailing shoe. We are awaiting the outcome of this analysis.

The weight difference between trailing hose (dribble bar) attachments and trailing shoe attachments is relatively small. Depending upon the design of the attachment, the utilisation of either type of attachment will have equivalent impact on farms with heavy soils.

Low Emissions Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling and an enhanced grant-rate of 60% compared to a lower rate of 40% in TAMS II in respect of investments which will more than offsets the potential higher cost of the trailing shoe compared to the trailing hose (dribble bar).