The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The Directive requires all member states to define set periods when the land application of fertiliser , including slurry, is not allowed and in Ireland the closed season commenced on 15 October. The closed periods in Ireland were decided following extensive consultation and were discussed with farming bodies and the European Commission when Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme was introduced. 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.
Ireland faces considerable challenges in meeting the requirements of the Water Framework Directive to bring all waters back to good status at least. Taking those challenges and the evidence in support of the benefit of closed periods into consideration, I am not proposing any blanket variation at the present time to the terms of the NAP. However, where there is a risk to animal welfare due to circumstances outside the farmer's control, I understand that farmers with such concerns can contact the Nitrates Section of the Department of Agriculture at (053) 9163444 or by email to nitrates@agriculture.gov.ie with details of the flooding situation, their herd number and other relevant data.
