Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2015
566. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the extension of the slurry and fertiliser spreading dates; his plans to introduce a more practical system than the calendar farming system that currently exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6683/15]
View answerThe Nitrates Directive and Ireland's third National Nitrates Action Programme are given legal effect by the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended. The objective of the Regulations is to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers. Specified closed periods for the spreading of fertilisers, including slurry, are a key aspect of the Nitrates Regulations. They are a requirement of the Nitrates Directive and are mandatory in every Member State. The closed periods in Ireland were decided following extensive consultation and were discussed with farming bodies and the European Commission at the time.
Good agricultural practice involves the application of fertilisers at a time when grass and other plants are growing actively in order to maximise the uptake of nutrients by crops and to minimise pollution to water. The provisions of the Regulations are underpinned by scientific research and good agricultural practice. The most recent scientific studies carried out on a diverse range of farm and soil types as part of Teagasc’s on-going Agricultural Catchments Programme has provided further evidence in support of the efficacy of the prohibited spreading periods in reducing nutrient losses to waters. In addition, the National Farm Survey has shown that prior to the introduction of the Nitrates Regulations less than 5% of slurry was applied during what is now termed the prohibited spreading period. This was due to farmers understanding the benefits of applying slurry during the growing season when it will be most efficiently used by grass and crops.
Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme was extensively reviewed in 2013 by an expert group, jointly chaired by my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This group discounted suggestions of flexibility with regard to the commencement of closed periods as the weight of scientific evidence identified Autumn/early Winter spreading as most sensitive to nutrient loss. The group also noted that the application of organic fertiliser at this time of the year represents an unacceptable risk to the environment as well as a loss of valuable fertiliser product as there is little or no take-up of nutrient during the dormant season.
Arrangements for the next review of the Nitrates Action Programme will be outlined in due course.
