Protecting Our Watercourses – Slurry Spreading Season Opens in Kildare
9th January 2026: Kildare County Council reminds farmers of the importance of safeguarding watercourses as the 2026 slurry spreading season opens on 13th January. From this date, organic fertiliser, including slurry and farmyard manure, may be applied to land subject to suitable weather and ground conditions.
The European Union Good Agricultural Practices for Protection of Waters (GAP) Regulations 2022 (as amended), set out requirements for the collection, storage, management and land spreading of farmyard manure, organic fertiliser and soiled water produced on a farm holding. Notably, since January 1st 2025, the use of low emission slurry spreading (LESS), such as trailing shoe and dribble bar, became compulsory on farms stocked at 100kg N/ha or above. Low emission spreading equipment is to be used to apply livestock manure to arable land and the livestock manure to be ploughed within 24 hours. Applying slurry using LESS equipment can reduce ammonia emissions by 30-60% compared to the traditional splash plate method by applying slurry more precisely and closer to the ground, which significantly minimises the risk of nutrient runoff into rivers, lakes and groundwater. These measures are vital for meeting Ireland’s agriculture emissions reduction targets.
Key Restrictions:
Do not apply organic fertiliser or soiled water within:
- 5m of any surface water (increasing to 10 metres for two weeks before and after the 1st October and 12th January)
- 20m of a lake shoreline
- 25m of domestic wells
- 100-200m of public water supplies
Organic and chemical fertilisers or soiled water shall not be applied to land in any of the following circumstances:
- The Land is waterlogged, flooded, snow-covered, or frozen
- Heavy rain is forecast within 48 hours
- The ground slopes steeply and there is a risk of water pollution due to runoff pathways, land drains, the absence of hedgerows, poor soil condition, or insufficient ground cover.
Chemical Fertilisers may only be spread from the 27th January 2026.
Kildare County Council staff will continue to inspect farmyards for compliance with the GAP Regulations. Any breaches or reluctance to address pollution issues may be reported to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, potentially resulting in financial penalties. These measures are essential to protect water quality and to prevent pollution across County Kildare.
For further information, visit the Kildare County Council website: https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Environment/Water/FarmingandtheEnvironment/
