The new nitrates action programme (NAP) proposals represent the continuing trend where the Government appears intent on micro-managing dairy farming and, specifically, derogation farms, according to the ICMSA.

ICMSA president Denis Drennan said that the Government has one policy for dairy farming and a “far more lenient position for other sources of pollution – including sewage sludges from Irish Water”.

“There was a lot of attention and focus on the ‘right measure in the right place’, where has that approach gone?” he asked.

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IFA president Francie Gorman said the draft NAP document contains a lot of detail that the IFA is reviewing, and will respond as part of the consultation process.

“Farmers are fully committed to measures to improve water quality, but they must be practical and affordable at farm level. Farmers have already done a lot, and there is a sense of frustration about being continually asked to do more and more while others such as wastewater treatment plants are being given years and years to address their issues,” he said.