There were more reported incidents of "inappropriate slurry spreading" in Co.Cavan last year compared to any other county, according to latest government figures.

There were a total of 69 reported incidents of inappropriate slurry spreading throughout the country in 2025.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), 68 of the farmers who were found to be non-compliant with slurry spreading regulations received a "financial sanction" as a result of these incidents.

Specifically, their Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), and Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments were impacted.

The Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North-West, Aindrias Moynihan, had asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for information on the number of reported incidents of "inappropriate slurry spreading" in every county in 2025.

Minister Martin Heydon told the deputy, who is also the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food, that the spreading of slurry and all organic fertiliser must be "carried out in compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations (GAP) in order to protect water quality through the avoidance of nutrient loss".

According to the minister, this includes "adhering to the prohibited land spreading periods and to the appropriate buffer zones near different waterbodies and using low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment in certain circumstances".

This includes where farms have a grassland stocking rate above 100kg N/ha before nitrogen exports.

"LESS equipment must also be used for spreading pig slurry to all lands and slurry to arable land," Minister Heydon added.

Slurry

According to the latest figures, a total of 10 incidents were reported on "holdings" in Co. Cavan.

Next was Kerry, where there were eight incidents reported, followed by both Laois and Louth where six incidents were reported in each county.

According to DAFM, these incidents are based on a combination of complaints from "the public, cross reports from external bodies e.g., local authorities, internal cross reports, and on-farm inspections in 2025".