To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail the work his Department has carried out since May 2022 to address the impact of intensive poultry production on rivers and waterways.

Since May 2022 my Department has continued to build on many years of significant work with the poultry industry on the sustainable use of poultry litter. The establishment of advanced anaerobic digestion facilities, which incorporate nutrient processing technologies, was an outcome of this work.

These facilities provide an alternative outlet to the land spreading of poultry litter as an organic fertiliser and contribute to reducing impacts on water quality. My officials also review poultry litter utilisation annually and continue to liaise with the industry on the planned expansion of nutrient processing facilities.

My Department continues to have regulatory controls in place to reduce the risk of nutrient pollution of rivers and lakes from agricultural sources. The Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) Regulations and The Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations contain measures on the storage, management and spreading of livestock manures, including poultry litter and manure.

In 2023, my Department commenced a review of the Nutrients Action Programme which is considering additional measures that are needed to help reduce nutrient losses to waterways from agricultural sources, including the poultry industry.