Farming and The Environment
Agriculture is the main land use in Kildare and is one of the main activities which can have an impact on Water Quality in the County. However, if good farming practices and farm management is carried out in accordance with the relevant guidance and legislation, protection of water quality can be achieved. Such practices can include maintaining buffer setback distances from waterbodies, ensuring adequate slurry storage is available and only spreading fertilizers during the open season for spreading etc.
Kildare County Council carry out a number of duties relating to Agriculture and the protection of Waters which include:
- Carrying out targeted farm inspections based on location of farms within at risk waterbody catchments.
- Carrying out farm inspections in response to an agricultural water pollution incident or complaint received.
- Enforcing the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters (GAP) Regulations 2022 and apply penalties where a breach of the regulations is found to occur.
- Assess and report on Agricultural planning applications
- Liaising and providing assistance, where necessary, with other sections of the Environment Department and County Council generally.
- Communicating with farmers, their representative bodies and agricultural advisers
Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters (GAP) Regulations
Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme is designed to prevent pollution of surface waters and ground water from agricultural sources and to protect and improve water quality. The Government has published Ireland’s Fifth Nitrates Action Programme 2022-2025.
The European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022, (S.I. No. 113 of 2022) came into effect on 11th March 2022. These Regulations give legal effect to Ireland 's national Nitrates Action Programme under the EU Nitrates Directive and are currently in force. They may also be known as the Good Agricultural Practice Regulations, or the Nitrates Regulations.
A full copy of the regulations can be accessed by clicking on the link, Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations, 2022.
An explanatory guide to the measures which farmers must comply with under the regulations is available at Nitrates Explanatory Handbook for GAP Regulations 2022 This is for general guidance only, please consult the regulations for full details.
Water Quality - Pesticides / Herbicides
In this section you will find information on how to protect our waters and biodiversity from pesticides/herbicides misuse, slurry spreading and hedgecutting/dispoal guidelines.
Further Information can be found at: