The current derogation for the burning of bushes or green waste on farms will be the last, Minister for the Environment, Climate and the Communications Eamon Ryan has indicated.

The minister confirmed in a parliamentary question this week that he will introduce regulations to extend the exemption until 1 January 2023 in the coming days.

However, he said he anticipates "this will be the final extension".

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Alternative options to the practice of burning of this waste will be discussed between officials from the Department of the Environment and the Department of Agriculture, Minister Ryan said.

This has come on the back of frustration from farmers who learned last week through the Irish Farmers Journal that they may not be able to burn bushes as a result of the derogation not being signed for 2022.

However, the minister backtracked and decided put the derogation in place for 2022.

Burning

Farmers are allowed to burn waste, such as bushes and hedge cuttings, that had been generated by agricultural purposes until the end of the month and then again from 1 September, as this is out of the bird nesting season.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced that the derogation was secured at a meeting of the Oireachtas committee on agriculture last week.

At the meeting, he said that burning bushes was an "important facility" for farmers who use the derogation in a balanced way.

This is the fifth time the derogation has been put in place.

Minister Ryan said: "The sunset clause in the regulations, whereby the granting of exemptions would come to a definite end at a specified time, has been extended on four different occasions in the past.

"It was not envisaged that the exemption would continue indefinitely."