Vol. 407 No. 4
90 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment if he has carried out any survey on the estimated costs of eliminating slurry pollution; if he will outline the incentives and assistance available to farmers to improve the position; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Since 1988, local authorities, in conjunction with the farm development service of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the regional fisheries boards, have conducted extensive surveys on farms with a view to identifying water pollution risks and ensuring that preventive measures are taken. Substantial grant assistance has been made available to farmers for the provision of slurry and silage effluent storage tanks, animal housing and fodder storage under the operational programme for the control of farmyard pollution and the farm improvement programme—both administered by the Department of Agriculture and Food.
While the costs of preventing water pollution by slurry have not been quantified, overall expenditure under the operational programme for the control of farmyard pollution is estimated at some £190 million over the period 1989 to 1993.
