Environmental report highlights high nitrogen levels in Southeast rivers

Nitrogen levels in rivers in parts of the country remain high, particularly in the south east.

It’s a result of intensive farming in the region, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency.

However, farmers say you ‘can’t pull the handbrake’ on the agriculture industry overnight.

Former Chair of Wexford IFA, and Beef and Tillage Farmer Ger O’Mahony, says there is a lot of change happening on the ground: The farming system can’t just change overnight. In 2016 the government said to all Dairy farmers, expand, expand and five years later after millions spent on new equipment sheds etc to say sorry you can’t do that – it’s changing big time.