ICMSA confident use of splash plates to continue
SHANE O’Loughlin, Chairperson of Wicklow ICMSA, is confident that the use of splash-plate slurry systems will be allowed to continue.
He was speaking following a meeting between the ICMSA and senior officials of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in relation to the rules on applying organic fertilisers to land and, specifically, on concerns around a possible end to the use of splash-plates.
‘Ending the use of splash plates would present an insurmountable problem for many small family farms in rural Ireland, who are already struggling to survive and would actually amount to another ‘nail in the coffin’ for the type of farm that back-boned the rural economy in many areas of the state,’ said Mr O’Loughlin.
The Aughrim farmer further stated that it was simply a ‘fact’ that the cost associated with alternative equipment is beyond most farmers’ financial capabilities, even with current levels of grant aid.
In addition, given the production systems in Ireland where, for example, many farms use baled silage, the ICMSA firmly believe that splash plate is the only viable option at this time as the alternative systems available do not work in practical farm situations.
‘ICMSA believes that the current measures being adopted under GLAS and TAMS – with some further enhancements and through information campaigns on the most appropriate time to spread organic fertiliser, will enable Ireland to meet the EU targets set for us and we won’t need other measures.
‘We particularly won’t need to consider obviously unworkable measures such as a future date for the banning of the splash plate,’ said Mr O’Loughlin.
He concluded, ‘I’m very confident that the Department officials understood the practical impossibility of a ban on the use of splash plates and ICMSA trusts that such a unrealistic and unworkable proposal will not be implemented by the Department.’