The Department of Housing is considering how to “significantly increase” the number of county council farm Good Agricultural Practice regulation inspections amid efforts to boost water quality. That’s according to this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.
A recently released report shows that county managers are looking for over 20,000 farm water pollution inspections to be carried out over the next five years.
Inspections will be mostly risk-based, meaning that farmers in some eastern and border counties could be significantly more likely to face inspection than those farming in western counties.
The nitrates derogation granted to Ireland requires this clampdown to take place, but it will not just be derogation farms that will be inspected.
