Government ministers need to cop on and grant an extension to the slurry spreading deadline which is almost upon us, according to independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice.<\/p>\n

The representative for the Roscommon-Galway constituency called on the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, to grant the extension.<\/p>\n

As it stands, tomorrow (Tuesday, October 15th) will be the last day that farmers will be allowed to spread slurry this year \u2013 with the closed period coming to an end in January.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the topic, Fitzmaurice said: \u201cCommon sense must prevail in this matter. Irish farmers have had to put up with consistent rainfall since early August.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs it stands, Met Eireann currently has a Status Yellow rainfall warning in place for Connacht, Munster, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Offaly and Westmeath. This warning will remain in place for the entire day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are being warned about the risk of localised flooding. How can farmers possibly spread slurry in conditions like this?<\/p>\n

\u201cDo Ministers Creed and Murphy want to see slurry flowing into rivers? All because of a date that they had the power to extend, but didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese ministers need to cop on and grant the extension until the end of this month. Farmers do not want to spread slurry in poor conditions; that is just common sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they are being backed into a corner. Farmers, particularly in the west of Ireland, have spread little or no slurry in the past two months.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are now being forced to house cattle early as field conditions deteriorate. Opportunities to spread slurry have been limited in recent weeks due to weather and ground conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you look at Met Eireann, taking its Athenry station for example, total rainfall for August and September of this year was double what it was in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommon sense needs to prevail in order to give farmers a chance to get some slurry spread. Otherwise, it will turn into an animal welfare issue in a couple of weeks when tanks are at capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth Ministers Creed and Murphy have an important decision to make; and they better not delay,\u201d Fitzmaurice concluded.<\/p>\n

Michael Fitzmaurice TD – 0861914565<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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