Vol. 400 No. 2
79 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give details of lime purchased by Irish farmers for each of the years from 1985 to 1989, inclusive; if he is concerned about the fall in the usage of lime; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The quantities of ground limestone spread by farmers in the years in question were: 1985, 878,000 tonnes; 1986, 826,000 tonnes; 1987, 824,000 tonnes; 1988, 886,000 tonnes; 1989, 941,000 tonnes.
The soil research services of Teagasc estimate that an annual usage of up to two million tonnes would be desirable on Irish farms in order to achieve and maintain maximum output from the land. My Department and Teagasc continue to exhort farmers to have their soil officially sampled on a regular rotational basis and to apply the necessary amount of lime indicated in the results. As the figures show there is scope for considerable improvement in the overall national rate of application.
