A judge has told a Co Limerick farmer prosecuted for water pollution that she will press the “nuclear button” on him unless he provides a wintering plan for his animals.

Aidan Leonard, a farmyard inspector with Limerick City and County Council, said he visited William O’Keeffe, Ardroe, Pallasgreen, on 20 April 2016.

“A complaint was made about his facilities. He has 33ha, but he doesn’t have a farmyard. He had 57 cattle, but has a lack of facilities. "Outwintering cattle causes poaching of the land. If the cattle compress the land, it is churned up and there is a run-off of effluent,” Mr Leonard said in court.

The inspector said Mr O’Keeffe gave him an undertaking that he would reduce his herd.

On 14 February 2018, Mr Leonard said he visited the farm and found the land poached due to the number of cattle on it.

“He has agreed to sell the vast majority of his herd,” said Mr Leonard, who added that grass is going to grow [on the land] from now and he has no problem with “summer grazing”.

Brendan Gill, solicitor for Mr O’Keeffe, made the point that his client’s undertaking to reduce cattle numbers was not made in court. He asked the council inspector if 10 cattle would be in order.

Mr Leonard asked for a wintering plan from the farmer for next year, saying that it should feature “smaller or lighter cattle if possible”.

Mr Gill said Mr O’Keeffe was “prepared to substantially reduce his herd”, to which Judge Marie Keane said: “We’ve heard that before.”

Mr Gill said his client had difficulty in selling cattle, but Judge Keane said Mr O’Keeffe was “ducking and diving”.

“He may have scant regard for the environment, but his actions are affecting the general community by causing pollution,” said Judge Keane.

She ordered that a wintering plan be prepared with an appropriate agricultural provider and submitted to Limerick City and County Council before the next court.

If it isn’t, Judge Keane said she would press the “nuclear button”.

“I want no more of your nonsense,” said Judge Keane, adjourning the case to Kilmallock Court next month.

Mr Gill assured her said there would be “no excuses”.