Local authorities have begun to issue permission to farmers to burn agricultural or green waste once again, including tree tops and hedge trimmings, on their farms.

Farmers with burning of green waste to carry out on their farms were delayed again last week.

Applicants were informed that permits could not be processed until local authorities received the go-ahead from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).

The DECC then confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal on 11 February that “the regulations have been signed by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and it is expected that they will be published early next week. All stakeholders will be notified at that time.”

The DECC has also clarified that farmers will be able to burn green waste throughout the year once a permit is granted, despite initial indications that burning would not be allowed during the bird nesting season under the latest derogation.

However, no cutting of hedgerows or trees is allowed during the bird nesting season.

Farmers should also inform the fire service before they begin to burn this waste.

Background

In January, it emerged that the DECC had not renewed a derogation which had been granted several times to allow farmers to burn this waste.

Local authorities were unaware the derogation had not been renewed for 2022 and continued to issue permits, which then had to be revoked.

On 4 February, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced the derogation would be signed for 2022. However, the regulations were not signed until 11 February and not communicated to local authorities until this week.

The DECC and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have said they are now looking at alternative solutions for farmers.