Monaghan farmers seek to overturn poultry planning permission ban

Farmers in Co Monaghan have appealed to Monaghan County Council to reconsider its planning permission rules for pig and poultry farms.

The council’s draft county development plan for 2025-2031, maintains a rule which bans the development of any intensive pig or poultry units which would increase ammonia or nitrogen emissions within 10km of a special area of conservation (SAC).

Monaghan IFA’s submission to the council expresses its concern at the “halting of economic development in the county” due to this restriction. The IFA questioned the ammonia figures on which the restriction is based and questioned whether it is specifically poultry-related.

It wants the county council to obtain the figures that form the basis of the restriction from the EPA and review them annually. It also sought to have a farmer representative on a taskforce set up. It is estimated that almost 60% of all broilers produced in Ireland are produced in Co Monaghan, and the county also accounts for 44% of the country’s layers.

In 2021, there were 101 EPA-licensed poultry farms in Monaghan, with an estimated poultry throughput of 64.5m birds per year. There were also several hundred poultry units under the EPA licence threshold of 40,000 birds.

That same year, the EPA issued guidance to all planning authorities that they must assess the impact of proposed developments, including the cumulative effect of other developments, on Natura 2000 sites within 10km of a site. It highlighted three sites in particular in Co Monaghan as being at risk from ammonia and nitrogen emissions; Kilroosky Lough Cluster SAC, Slieve Beagh special protection area (SPA), and Lough Oughter SAC and SPA.

IFA Monaghan chair Tom Treanor told the Irish Farmers Journal that the IFA wants the required ammonia calculations to be reviewed, questioning whether the ammonia could be solely attributed to agricultural sources.

“We’re asking for a review within the draft county development plan,” he said.