Resource information
These Regulations give effect to Ireland's 4th Nitrates Action Programme, and provide statutory support for good agricultural practice to protect waters against pollution from agricultural sources and include measures such as periods when land application of fertilisers is prohibited, limits on the land application of fertilisers, storage requirements for livestock manure, and monitoring of the effectiveness of the measures in terms of agricultural practice and impact on water quality. The set of measures in these regulations provides a basic level of protection against possible adverse impacts to waters arising from the agricultural expansion targets set under a programme called Food Harvest 2020. The Regulations give further effect to several EU Directives including Directives in relation to the protection of waters against pollution from agricultural sources (Nitrates Directive), dangerous substances in water, waste management, protection of groundwater, public participation in policy development and water policy (the Water Framework Directive).An occupier of an agricultural production unit ("holding") shall take all such reasonable steps as are necessary for the purposes of minimising the amount of soiled water produced on the holding. The main Parts of these Regulations concern farmyard management (minimisation of soiled water and storage of manure), nutrient management (an occupier of a holding shall take all such reasonable steps as are necessary for the purposes of preventing or minimising the application to land of fertilisers in excess of crop requirement on the holding) and prevention of water pollution from fertilizers and certain activities (mainly respecting the distance from water bodies or boreholes).
Implements: Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. (1992-04-23)
Implements: Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. (1991-12-12)
Implements: Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. (2000-10-23)
Implements: Directive 2006/11/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (Codified version). (2006-02-15)
Implements: Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration. (2006-12-12)
Implements: Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste and repealing certain Directives. (2008-11-19)
Amended by: European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 65 of 2018). (2018-03-08)
Repeals: European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 31 of 2014). (2014-01-28)
