Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
900. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of reported incidents of inappropriate slurry spreading over the past year in each county; the outcome of investigations, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10266/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe spreading of slurry and all organic fertiliser must be carried out in compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations (S.I. 588 of 2025) in order to protect water quality through the avoidance of nutrient loss.
This includes adhering to the prohibited land spreading periods, to the appropriate buffer zones near different waterbodies, using Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment where it applies in certain circumstances, such as holdings with a grassland stocking rate >100 Kg Nitrogen per hectare before Nitrogen exports. LESS equipment must also be used for the application of pig slurry to all lands and slurry to arable land.
Organic fertiliser is a valuable resource on farms and spreading when conditions are suitable, early in the growing season and at recommended rates is valuable for the uptake of nutrients by crops.
Below is the table of the number of reported incidents of inappropriate slurry spreading, by county, in 2025.
|
County |
Number of Holdings with Reported Incidents of Inappropriate Slurry Spreading in 2025 (n = 69) |
|
Cavan |
10 |
|
Clare |
2 |
|
Cork |
4 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
|
Galway |
1 |
|
Kerry |
8 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
|
Laois |
6 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
Limerick |
2 |
|
Longford |
3 |
|
Louth |
6 |
|
Meath |
4 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
|
Roscommon |
2 |
|
Tipperary |
4 |
|
Waterford |
3 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
|
Wexford |
4 |
The above is a combination of complaints from the public, cross reports from external bodies e.g. local authorities, internal cross reports and on-farm inspections in 2025.
In relation to the outcome of the above incidents all the farmers were notified of the non-compliance(s) detected and a financial sanction was imposed on their area based payments e.g. BISS/CRISS, ACRES etc. in 68 of the 69 cases.
