Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
147. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider amending the strict deadlines for slurry spreading in view of changing weather patterns and increasing rainfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34341/26]
View answerI would like to begin by acknowledging that weather conditions this year have presented significant challenges for many farmers, often disrupting and delaying normal agricultural activity.
The Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations, or the GAP Regulations, (S.I. 588 of 2025, as amended) 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 my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
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 Irish research highlighting that the closed period aligns with the periods of highest risk for nutrient loss from land.
There is now a significantly increased focus on water quality across the entire agri-food sector.
Farmers have been making great strides in implementing actions at farm level to improve water quality and the Government is providing strong incentives to support this work which is underpinned by science.
Part of these efforts relate to improved timing of nutrient application to align with the crop's needs and maximising the value of the nutrients present in organic manures.
As advised by Teagasc, slurry should be spread when the potential for Nitrogen losses is low and the uptake of nutrients by a growing crop is high. These conditions typically occur in the Spring, and not the Autumn, where reducing sunshine hours increasingly limit growth and increase the risk of nutrient loss. Indeed, during the Winter, regardless of how good weather conditions are, short daylight hours limit growth and the ability of crops to take up nutrients.
The GAP Regulations were reviewed and updated in December 2025 and there are no plans at this time to further review those regulations.
