The Department of Housing has published Ireland’s sixth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), which will run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.
The main change in the new NAP is that all dairy farmers will be required to have increased slurry storage by 1 October 2028 on the back of changes to the volumes of slurry being produced by dairy cows.
As reported in October, the controversial stubble cultivation rules have been dropped from the sixth NAP.
Ireland’s NAP gives effect to the nitrates directive, which governs the management of nitrates in agriculture to protect groundwater, rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters.
The Department of Housing said the sixth NAP builds on the progress made through the preceding programmes and includes a suite of new regulatory and non-regulatory measures focused on reducing the loss of nutrients to water quality through better nutrient management and distribution.
These measures, along with the promotion of knowledge transfer and awareness, include requirements for:
Increased focus on compliance and enforcement.Improved nutrient distribution on fragmented farms.Increased slurry and soil water storage capacity requirements.Expansion of department’s organic nutrient movement database. “The Government continues to significantly invest in improvements to water quality programmes in line with the water action plan," the Department said.
"These programmes involve working with farmers to improve water quality and include the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) in conjunction with the dairy industry, and the Farming for Water EIP, which provides funding to farmers for actions to protect water quality.
“Continued collaboration between farming communities, the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO) and local authorities, Teagasc, advisers, agri industry and [the] EPA and will be key for continued protection of water quality over the duration of this plan.
"The collective strengths of these organisations will be harnessed to target the right measures in the right place to improve water quality over the duration of this plan,” it said.
Read more
Stubble cultivation rules to be scrapped
Plans for increased slurry storage for all dairy farmers
What do the draft NAP proposals mean for dairy farms?
The Department of Housing has published Ireland’s sixth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), which will run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.
The main change in the new NAP is that all dairy farmers will be required to have increased slurry storage by 1 October 2028 on the back of changes to the volumes of slurry being produced by dairy cows.
As reported in October, the controversial stubble cultivation rules have been dropped from the sixth NAP.
Ireland’s NAP gives effect to the nitrates directive, which governs the management of nitrates in agriculture to protect groundwater, rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters.
The Department of Housing said the sixth NAP builds on the progress made through the preceding programmes and includes a suite of new regulatory and non-regulatory measures focused on reducing the loss of nutrients to water quality through better nutrient management and distribution.
These measures, along with the promotion of knowledge transfer and awareness, include requirements for:
Increased focus on compliance and enforcement.Improved nutrient distribution on fragmented farms.Increased slurry and soil water storage capacity requirements.Expansion of department’s organic nutrient movement database. “The Government continues to significantly invest in improvements to water quality programmes in line with the water action plan," the Department said.
"These programmes involve working with farmers to improve water quality and include the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) in conjunction with the dairy industry, and the Farming for Water EIP, which provides funding to farmers for actions to protect water quality.
“Continued collaboration between farming communities, the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO) and local authorities, Teagasc, advisers, agri industry and [the] EPA and will be key for continued protection of water quality over the duration of this plan.
"The collective strengths of these organisations will be harnessed to target the right measures in the right place to improve water quality over the duration of this plan,” it said.
Read more
Stubble cultivation rules to be scrapped
Plans for increased slurry storage for all dairy farmers
What do the draft NAP proposals mean for dairy farms?
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