Three in every 10 farms inspected by county councils for compliance with water quality and nitrates rules were found to have been in breach of regulations in 2022, the joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture heard on Wednesday evening.
At least 3,300 of these local authority farm inspections are to take place this year, with this figure to rise to 4,500 checks in 2025.
The ability of county councils to carry out farm inspections has been bolstered by the provision of funding to cover the recruitment of 57 extra farm inspectors, the Department of Housing water division’s assistant secretary Fintan Towey told the committee.
Housing is the department responsible for enforcing the good agricultural practice (GAP) regulations which cover closed slurry spreading and storage, as well as farm fertiliser and pesticide rules.
“Local authority inspection data for 2022 shows that approximately 30% of farms inspectors are non-compliant with the regulations,” Towey said.
Not just compliance
On whether the 220kg organic nitrogen/ha derogation stocking rate covering most of the country can be retained beyond 2025, the official stated that while compliance must improve, nutrient loading must also reduce.
“We feel that this is significantly more likely, if full compliance with GAP regulations and achieved,” he commented.
“However, we must face the reality that a significant reduction in nitrogen loads being lost water in catchments of concern identified by the EPA will be necessary to resolve eutrophication problems in their receiving coastal waters.”
Farm advisers and a contribution from the wider agri-food sector will be “essential” both in boosting compliance with nitrates rules and reducing nitrogen loading on lands, the official argued.
Towey added that managing doing so would give Ireland a “compelling argument” to retain the derogation into the future in the face of European Commission scrutiny.
Fish kill
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) singled out eutrophication from farming as the single biggest contributor to fish kills in the state since 1969 when its representatives also spoke before the Oireachtas committee on Wednesday.
IFI claimed that the proportion of fish kills attributed to agricultural eutrophication was lower between 2006 to 2022 than it had been over the span from 1969 to 2006.
The fisheries agency called for farmer supports for investing in slurry storage, detailed nutrient management planning and other measures which go above legal requirements, like fencing off waterways.
It also stated that investing in a network of waterway nitrates and phosphate readers in high-risk catchments would improve Irish farmers’ ability to make informed nutrient management decisions.
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Three in every 10 farms inspected by county councils for compliance with water quality and nitrates rules were found to have been in breach of regulations in 2022, the joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture heard on Wednesday evening.
At least 3,300 of these local authority farm inspections are to take place this year, with this figure to rise to 4,500 checks in 2025.
The ability of county councils to carry out farm inspections has been bolstered by the provision of funding to cover the recruitment of 57 extra farm inspectors, the Department of Housing water division’s assistant secretary Fintan Towey told the committee.
Housing is the department responsible for enforcing the good agricultural practice (GAP) regulations which cover closed slurry spreading and storage, as well as farm fertiliser and pesticide rules.
“Local authority inspection data for 2022 shows that approximately 30% of farms inspectors are non-compliant with the regulations,” Towey said.
Not just compliance
On whether the 220kg organic nitrogen/ha derogation stocking rate covering most of the country can be retained beyond 2025, the official stated that while compliance must improve, nutrient loading must also reduce.
“We feel that this is significantly more likely, if full compliance with GAP regulations and achieved,” he commented.
“However, we must face the reality that a significant reduction in nitrogen loads being lost water in catchments of concern identified by the EPA will be necessary to resolve eutrophication problems in their receiving coastal waters.”
Farm advisers and a contribution from the wider agri-food sector will be “essential” both in boosting compliance with nitrates rules and reducing nitrogen loading on lands, the official argued.
Towey added that managing doing so would give Ireland a “compelling argument” to retain the derogation into the future in the face of European Commission scrutiny.
Fish kill
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) singled out eutrophication from farming as the single biggest contributor to fish kills in the state since 1969 when its representatives also spoke before the Oireachtas committee on Wednesday.
IFI claimed that the proportion of fish kills attributed to agricultural eutrophication was lower between 2006 to 2022 than it had been over the span from 1969 to 2006.
The fisheries agency called for farmer supports for investing in slurry storage, detailed nutrient management planning and other measures which go above legal requirements, like fencing off waterways.
It also stated that investing in a network of waterway nitrates and phosphate readers in high-risk catchments would improve Irish farmers’ ability to make informed nutrient management decisions.
Read more
Derogation opens for 2024 applications
Confidence to invest in slurry storage hit by derogation cut - Minister
No payment limit in new €60m Farming for Water EIP
'Under-utilised' private advisers want in on ASSAP
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