Ireland has opened public consultations on the draft Sixth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) and its associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report, running until 1 December 2025. The consultations allow the public and interested stakeholders to provide feedback on measures designed to protect water quality from the impact of agricultural nutrients, in line with the European Union’s Nitrates Directive. The NAP sets limits on livestock manure nitrogen application to land, with provisions for higher application rates under stricter environmental conditions, known as the nitrates derogation. Ireland has requested a renewal of this derogation under the Sixth NAP, which, if approved, will be included in the programme.
In parallel, an independent consultation is being conducted on the Natura Impact Statement prepared by the Ecological Assessment Unit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This assessment evaluates the potential environmental effects of the draft Sixth NAP on protected habitats and species, ensuring compliance with conservation requirements. Both consultations provide an opportunity for stakeholders to engage in shaping the programme and its environmental safeguards.
The Sixth NAP includes specific measures to prevent nutrient pollution from agricultural sources, including strategies to manage nutrient balance at the farm level, improve nutrient distribution across fragmented farms, expand slurry and soiled water storage capacity, and enhance compliance through enforcement and monitoring systems. The European Union’s Good Agricultural Practice Regulations, which underpin the NAP, are reviewed every four years, with the current review scheduled to conclude by early 2026. Public input during these consultations will contribute to the finalization of the Sixth NAP and its supporting environmental and conservation measures.
