Bye-laws to control farming activities
Cork County Council is enforcing bye-laws in the Funshion, Gradogue and Lee catchments.
In Offaly, some 582 farms covered by bye-laws in 192 townlands received letters in December 2002 informing them of obligations to be complied with in the next 12 months.
The council has received 80 farm assessments and 15 nutrient management plans to date. Approximately 280 farm surveys have been completed, and enforcement powers under the Water Pollution Acts are used to address cases of farm pollution.
Farm surveying has resulted in 57 Section 12 notices being served on offending farmers.
Westmeath Council received 80 nutrient management plans and conducted 196 farm surveys in bye-law areas, followed by enforcement where necessary.
North Tipperary Council has employed an environmental scientist and an agricultural scientist to implement and enforce bye-laws for about 700 farms, totalling 40,000 hectares.
All were visited during 2003/04, and 200 nutrient management plans are being assessed, with 156 still awaited.
The council found the task of identifying all persons farming land in the bye-law area was difficult and time-consuming.
A number of local authorities (including the Limerick and Galway councils) have been holding back on bye-laws until implementation of the Nitrates Directive is clarified.
One effect of bye-laws has been to encourage farmers to join REPS - not only do they benefit financially, they will also be exempt from the expense of adhering to bye-laws, for as long as they are in REPS.
