Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
485. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide information on his Department’s key policies around manure management and relevant publications on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29694/23]
View answerThe management of livestock manure is regulated under Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations known as the ‘GAP Regulations’ (S.I. 113 of 2022, as amended). These regulations provide legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC as amended) and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP).
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is the lead authority responsible for Ireland's NAP and the GAP Regulations. My Department works closely with them in this regard.
The purpose of the GAP Regulations is to provide measures that ensure the protection of waters, including drinking water sources, against pollution caused by nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural sources. They include measures safeguarding against possible harmful impacts of nutrient losses that could arise from farmyard management of manures and/or the application of manures, including chemical fertilisers, to land.
The GAP Regulations are available on both the DHLGH and my Department’s websites. A nitrates Explanatory Handbook has also been published and is available on my Department’s website. It communicates the GAP Regulations directly to farmers and agricultural advisors in a clear and straightforward way.
In addition, a Nitrates Information Leaflet is also available on my Department’s website. This publication highlights the key changes that have occurred under the 5th NAP (2022-2025).
The documents mentioned above set out the Government policies in this area. They are available at the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b87ad-nitrates-directive/
www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9563-rural-environment-sustainability-nitrates/#nitrates-derogation
