Farmers in counties Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Louth and Waterford will face restrictions from early next year on the levels of nitrates they can spread, a conference on the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) was told yesterday.
Mr Sean Regan, chief environment adviser with Teagasc, said so-called "nitrate vulnerable zones" involving 13 ground-waters in these counties have been identified as polluted or susceptible to pollution by nitrates.
He told the Teagasc National REPS conference in Portlaoise that the designation of these zones early next year will lead to the imposition of severe restrictions on farming practices, including stocking rates.