Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
896. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on his Departments research and analysis of the current closed period model for the restriction of slurry and chemical fertiliser; if issues have been highlighted by farmers to his Department in relation to this model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10190/26]
View answer897. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to the provision of a more flexible model of the closed period for the restriction of slurry and chemical fertiliser, in order that farmers can work with Ireland’s unpredictable weather conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10191/26]
View answer898. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to the provision of a condition based model on a computer or smart phone application in conjunction with Met Éireann rainfall reports (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10192/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 896, 897 and 898 together.
The Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations, or the GAP Regulations, (S.I. 588 of 2025) sets out the periods when the application of manures to land is prohibited. These are often termed, the closed period, with these regulations signed into law by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Brown TD.
The GAP Regulations also set out the circumstances when soiled water, organic or chemical fertilisers must not be applied to land during the open spreading period. These include, when the land is waterlogged, flooded or likely to flood, or when Met Éireann forecasts heavy rain within 48 hours.
Underpinning the need for a closed period, there is clear research highlighting that the closed period aligns with periods of highest risk for nutrient loss from land. In 2016, Teagasc's Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP) published the findings of a 4-year assessment of nutrient losses from five different intensively managed Irish agricultural catchments. This research validated the need for the closed periods. It identified that during the winter months there was a significantly greater proportion of nutrients being lost from agricultural land to water.
This published research by Shore et al. can be accessed at: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969716302959
Where there are unseasonably wet periods this ACP research also identified higher than normal nutrient losses. This validates the requirement for farmers to also adhere to the GAP Regulations' requirements regarding circumstances when nutrients must not be applied during the open spreading period.
From an agricultural perspective we need to all work together to reduce the loss of nutrients to water. Full compliance with the GAP Regulations during the closed and open periods for nutrient application must be a key element of this. Ensuring application of fertiliser and organic manure at appropriate times and conditions is a key action under Teagasc's current 'Better Farming for Water – 8 Actions for Change’ campaign. This multi-actor advisory campaign commenced in 2024 at my Department's request to support farmers to make the right decisions in terms of applying nutrient, be it slurry or chemical fertiliser. thereby reducing nutrient losses to water.
The GAP regulations were recently reviewed and updated in December 2025 and there are no plans at this time to further review.
