New 60% grant and planning bypass promised for slurry storage

Changes to planning regulations will be made to allow standalone slurry storage applications to bypass the requirement for planning permission as part of the Government’s plan to retain the nitrates derogation.

The Government also plans to provide a 60% grant and separate ceiling of €90,000 for nutrient storage from January 2025, pending approval from Brussels.

A new and separate ‘exempted development’ threshold for standalone nutrient storage will be provided for as part of a review of planning regulations, following the enactment of the planning bill, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said.

The move follows major time delays and costs for some farmers who apply for planning permission for farm development works.

The Irish Farmers Journal recently revealed how environmental activist Peter Sweetman appealed 24 farm building applications to An Bord Pleanála this year alone.

Minister McConalogue outlined other actions in the nitrates derogation renewal plan, called ‘Water and agriculture, a collaborative approach’.

The actions include:

European Commission officials are due to visit Ireland in September.

Former Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president John Comer has been appointed as chair of the agriculture water quality group.

Outlining the plan to retain Ireland’s derogation, Minister McConalogue said: “A derogation is available to Ireland based on specific scientific criteria such as a long growing season.

"The Irish Government is committed to seeking a further derogation and delivery of improvements in water quality is a critical component of supporting this request.

“I have secured whole-of-Government support on delivery of these twin objectives and that is why we need a whole-of-agriculture approach to water quality improvement.”

Collaboration

He added that it would be “collaboration by all agri stakeholder partners that will see the dial turn for our water quality”.

“I am pleased that a positive working partnership has really come together under the agriculture water quality working group I established in May 2023.

"Members have committed to a series of additional actions to improve water quality and I am confident that these will bear fruit in the very near future and that we will start to see improvements in Irish water quality from an agricultural perspective,” he said.

On Comer’s appointment as chair, Minister McConalogue said: “John is a highly respected farmer, past president of the ICMSA and his experience of policy, agriculture and involvement in the European economic and social committee will be beneficial to the work of the committee. I thank John for stepping up to this important role.”

He added that work on a “substantial itinerary” for EU officials to see work being done on water quality by Irish farmers is being planned for their September visit.