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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 May 1997

Vol. 479 No. 2

Written Answers. - Control of Farm Pollution Scheme.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

339 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the nature and extent of the pollution risk assessments, if any, undertaken by or for his Department or which his Department requires an applicant to carry out or submit prior to grant assistance under the EU-funded control of farmyard pollution scheme being approved for the construction of intensive agricultural bovine slatted shed developments, with a floor area of 300 square metres or under, or silage slabs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12725/97]

National standards regarding good livestock management have been in existence for many years and were set by my Department following consultation with the Department of the Environment. They are designed to ensure that there is minimal risk of pollution arising from livestock production. The general conditions are set out in the Code of Good Agricultural Practice to Protect Waters from Pollution by Nitrates published last year by my Department and the Department of the Environment and also in advisory material for participants in the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme. Therefore pollution risk assessments of individual farms are not carried out by my Department nor are farmers participating in pollution control schemes operated by my Department required to carry out such assessments.

The purpose of the control of farm pollution scheme, now suspended, is to enable farmers to construct buildings, waste storage, and fodder storage facilities so as to avoid the risk of pollution from all farmyard wastes including silage effluent and to meet local authority waste storage requirements. The construction of intensive bovine slatted developments is limited to the production capacity of the holding at a level not exceeding two livestock units per hectare.

Applicants are required to submit details of stock averages and a schedule of existing and proposed structures on the farm. Officers from my Department check the detail of all applications to ensure compliance with these standards, including cubic capacity of tanks and drainage as required, before approval to commence work is issued. Where required, planning permission must be obtained and submitted to my Department before the application is processed.
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