Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:571 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be an extension of allowed ploughing dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22023/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 May 2012
Ceisteanna (495)
Freagraí scríofa
Restrictions in relation to ‘allowed ploughing dates' are set out in the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters) Regulations 2010 commonly referred to as the Nitrates Regulations. Responsibility for these Regulations rests with my colleague, Minister Phil Hogan, Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government.
These Regulations transpose the EU Nitrates Directive into law in Ireland with the objective of these Regulations being the protection of ground and surface waters including drinking water sources, through the application of measures to reduce the risk of nutrient enrichment from Agriculture to water. These Regulations require that where arable land is ploughed between the 1st July and the 30th November, the necessary measures shall be taken to provide for emergence, within 6 weeks of ploughing, of green cover from a sown crop. It further requires that where grassland is ploughed between the 1st July and 15th October, the necessary measures shall be taken to provide for emergence by 1st November of green cover from a sown crop. In effect, these conditions require that land is not ploughed and left unsown at that time of the year when the risk of nutrient loss from the soil or directly as a result of soil being washed from land is at its greatest.
Under Ireland's first Nitrates Action Programme which came into force in 2006, the first date for ploughing without the need for establishment of a subsequent crop was set at the 16th of January. This date was however revised to the 1st December following scientific work to evaluate the environmental consequences of revising the date and this revision facilitates the earlier ploughing of land in advance of spring sowing. I understand from my colleague, Minister Hogan that the current Nitrates Action Programme runs until the end of 2013 and will be subject to review during 2013.