15,000 farmers to benefit from water project

A new €60 million project has been announced with the aim of supporting up to 15,000 Irish farmers to improve water quality.

The Farming for Water project is the largest European Innovation Partnership (EIP) ever to be carried out in Ireland.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has allocated a budget of €50 million over five years, which will cover the support to be paid to the up to 15,000 farmers for the provision of rainwater management plans, earthen bunds, and tree planting among a range of other measures designed to help improve water quality.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is contributing €10 million to cover the administrative and operational costs of the project.

Farmers will be consulted by their Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) advisers to help decide how best to approach the measures to be taken on their lands before making the straight-forward application and availing of the grants.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, said: “The future of our farms, and the families on those farms, are largely dependent on successful water quality outcomes and I am absolutely confident farmers will not be found wanting in delivering those outcomes.”

Farmers interested in the project should liaise with their ASSAP advisers for further consideration.