Finian McGrath
Ceist:568. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to deal with farming effluent or slurry in our water systems. [40075/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 21 October 2014
Ceisteanna (568)
Freagraí scríofa
Measures to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, are contained in Ireland's third National Nitrates Action Programme which is given legal effect by the consolidated European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014. The Regulations establish a legal requirement for farmers to comply with good agricultural practice in the management of all fertilisers on their farms, including manures and slurries. These measures include limits on the amount of fertiliser that can be applied, minimum manure/slurry storage capacities on each farm, closed periods when any application of fertilisers is prohibited, rainwater and soiled water management in farmyards, set back distances from water bodies and green cover establishment within six weeks of harvest or ploughing. Furthermore the Regulations prohibit the application of fertilisers at any time of the year when the ground is frozen, waterlogged or when heavy rain is forecast.
In addition, in order to protect drinking water sources from the risk of agricultural pollution, the Regulations lay down general minimum set-back distances around abstraction points used for the abstraction of drinking water for human consumption. Land spreading of organic fertilisers (e.g. manures and slurries) is not permitted within those set-back areas.