Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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1243. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has given consideration to introducing further regulations on protected urea fertiliser labels, specifically the inclusion of NBPT inhibitor application dates and expected efficacy duration and more transparent labels regarding storage and handling conditions that may impact inhibitor effectiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10738/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Protected urea is urea with a urease inhibitor added to reduce ammonia emissions. NBPT is one of a number of urease inhibitors that can be added.

My Department recently met with representatives of all of the Irish fertiliser manufacturers/blenders and requested that the date of manufacture be placed on bags of protected urea fertiliser products.

The industry has agreed to this request and the date will be clearly marked, with the words ‘Manufactured on’ or ‘Production Date’ or ‘Manufacture Date’ preceding the date. In addition, some fertiliser companies already provide additional storage and handling instructions on the protected urea bag.

Taking account of this commitment by industry, there is not a requirement to amend the regulations to deliver the date of production/manufacture of urease inhibited products.