Dec 2016
Controlled Activities for the Protection of Waters
“The D/HLGH proposes to ‘develop a new Controlled Activities for the Protection of Waters regime to address pressures on the physical condition of waters’ which will establish a new legislative framework that all parties including private landowners and public authorities such as the OPW will be obliged to comply with.” Feb 2022
No additional information available
Fifth Nitrates Action Programme 2022-2025
The Programme sets out new measures that have been introduced since the Fourth Programme.
Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme is given effect by the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 113 of 2022). The regulations contain specific measures to protect surface waters and groundwater from nutrient pollution arising from agricultural sources.
The Fifth Nitrates Action Programme was developed following an initial public consultation, which was held in late 2020, and a second consultation period that concluded in September 2021. A third consultation period focused on the draft Natura Impact Statement and draft Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Programme was concluded on January 2022. Approximately 700 submissions were received during the three consultation periods and these have informed the final Programme.
What’s new in the Programme?
There have been a number of measures strengthened and added to the Programme since the Fourth Nitrates Action Programme and include the following:
- Register of Chemical Fertiliser Sales to be established by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) for 2023
- Improving Compliance and Enforcement –The EPA will develop and implement a National Agricultural Inspection Programme for local authorities. These inspections will be more targeted and risk-based with a stronger focus on compliance and follow-up enforcement. DAFM will increase derogation inspections from 5 to 10%
- Slurry and Soil Water Storage and Management – dates of closed period extended
- Livestock Excretion Rates – Three new excretion rate bands are being introduced which will be calculated as 80kg/ha, 92 kg/ha and 106 kg/ha. This means that to remain below the maximum permitted organic nitrogen loads of 250 kg/ha in derogation, there will have to be less cows per ha
- Chemical Fertiliser Control – This will start with 10% reduction of chemical nitrogen applied nationally and may be increased to a 15% reduction nationally after the midterm interim review of the programme
- Sewage/Industrial Sludges – There will be a review of management and oversight
- P Build-Up – This is available to farmers above 130kg/ha
- Green Cover on Tillage Ground – To reduce any potential losses of nutrients post-harvest cultativation/ crop sewing will happen within tighter timelines. Further measures will be introduced in the coming months to address concerns on loss of feeding areas for birds
- Crude Protein in Concentrate Feeds – a maximum crude protein content of 15% is allowed in concentrate feedstuff fed to grazing livestock between 15 April and 30 September
- Organic Matter Determination – from 2022, all soils greater than 20% Organic Matter are required to be soil tested for Organic Matter
- Soil Tests are compulsory for holding above 170kg/ha by 2022, and by 2023 for holdings above 130kg/ha and for sown arable land
- Grazing Land Management – for nutrient planning the stocking rate for commonage is 50kg/ha and * Review of technical tables –Some tables have been updated with the most recent scientific evidence and some tables will be updated in time for the interim review when the scientific evidence is available
- Phased approach for Low Emission Slurry Spreading (2023-2025) for farms above 100kg/ha and must also be used for the application of pig slurry
- Interim Review of the Programme within 2 years.
An Overview of Ireland’s Fifth Nitrates Action Programme
Ireland’s Fifth Nitrates Action Programme – Natura Impact Statement
Ireland’s Fifth Nitrates Action Programme – SEA Statement
Ireland’s Fifth Nitrates Action Programme – Determination on Appropriate Assessment
River Basin Management Planning in the Republic of Ireland: Past, Present and the Future
Abstract
The River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) is an essential component of the European Union Water Framework Directive that details an integrated approach required to protect, improve and sustainably manage water resources. RBMP were intended to be produced for the periods 2009–2015, 2016–2021 and 2022–2027. However, after two years of delays in the development processes, the Republic of Ireland produced its first RBMP in 2010.
The second RBMP cycle was also implemented in 2018 and is expected to run until the end of 2021 to give way to the third RBMP, whose consultation processes have been ongoing since December 2019. This paper contributes to the forthcoming RBMP by assessing stakeholders’ perspectives on the second RBMP through a desk-based review and by conducting interviews with nine institutions (14 interviewees).
The qualitatively analysed interviews reveal a broad spectrum of actors associated with water management and governance in the Republic of Ireland through a three-tier governance structure that has been delivered (with amendment) through the first two RBMPs.
Organisations such as the An Fóram Uisce|The Water Forum, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Local Authority Waters, and the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme have responsibilities designated in the RBMPs to deliver improved water quality, integrated catchment management, community engagement and awareness-raising. Trust has also been building up among these organisations and other agencies in the water sector.
Despite these responsibilities and progress made, the interviews identified communication lapses, ineffective collaboration and coordination among stakeholders and late implementation to be hampering the successful delivery of the second RBMP, in addition to significant pressures acting on water bodies from agricultural activities and urban wastewater treatment.
Towards the third RBMP, the paper concludes that optimised water sector finance, enhanced and well-resourced communications, and improved stakeholder collaboration are needed to foster effective and efficient water services delivery and quality. More so, given the cross-cutting impact of the Sustainable Development Goals on water resources and the interconnected relations among the goals, the paper further recommends the integration of the SDGs in the various plans of actions and a co-benefits approach to derive the triple benefits from biodiversity, climate change initiatives and water quality measures.
Community Water Development Fund
Grants programme from the Local Authority Waters Programme for communities to deliver water, biodiversity, and climate action initiatives.
Local community or voluntary groups can apply
First launched in 2018
Demand has increased year on year.
Projects should show benefits for water quality, biodiversity, and climate action.
Fund of €380,000 available for 2022.
Grants awarded will range from €500 to €25,000.
Q: list of recipients/projects for 2018-2021 funds
Case Studies on Local Catchment in Ireland, 2018–2020
Water Governance in Ireland: Towards the Third-Cycle River Basin Management Plan, 2022–2027
Proposal for a Research Programme onExperimental Governance with regard to Ireland’s Water Governance Structures and Processes
ESRI Joint Research Programme on Water
This programme undertakes research on behavioural and attitudinal change in respect of Ireland’s water resources.
There are two overarching research questions: are policy measures implemented under the River Basin Management Plan intended to change behaviours successful (i.e., do behaviours change) and are the changes in behaviour having a non-negligible impact on the primary objective, in this case improving water quality?
The research is being undertaken in collaboration with Ireland’s Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
https://www.esri.ie/current-research/research-programme-on-water
Knowledge and awareness of water quality protection issues within Local Authorities
An evaluation of public initiatives to change behaviours that affect water quality
The National Technical Implementation Group (NTIG)
Previous FOI on this Group to EPA was refused 30/11//21 on basis that EPA intended to publish records within six weeks
Publication is at https://www.catchments.ie/download/wfd-national-technical-implementation-group/
Linked in Catchements newsletter at https://www.catchments.ie/catchments-newsletter-sharing-science-and-stories-about-water-in-ireland/
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