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Some 1,099 farmers are facing water fines of up to €5,000 plus legal expenses for failing to sign up to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) register.
Farmers drawing over 25,000l of water a day had been requested to sign the online register before 16 November.
The EPA expected 750 dairy farmers, 320 piggeries, 100 horticulture farmers and one sheep farmer to sign. However, to date just 72 farmers have signed up. The remaining 94% of farmers could be found to be in breach of regulations and charged with “a fine not exceeding €5,000”, according to the EPA.
The regulation also states the farmer could be liable to pay the EPA’s legal costs if the matter was brought to court.
The EPA said it was seeking to engage with the Department of Agriculture to help encourage farmers to register their water abstractions.
“Given the value of the information we are seeking in terms of water management, we see pro-active engagement as being of greater benefit than immediately seeking to prosecute,” the EPA stated.
“Our experience of the registration process to date has been that once people are aware of the requirement to register, they do so within a matter of weeks.”
The EPA confirmed slurry contractors and farmers would not have to register abstractions for the use of slurry agitation, however registration was still required for watering stock and irrigation purposes.
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