Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
342. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the natural drainage of agricultural land continues given the extent to which heavy machinery has a tendency to break down the drains resulting in over wetting of productive agricultural land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18893/23]
View answerAll soils in Ireland are at risk of compaction and trafficability problems. Wet, poorly-drained soils can present problems for much of the year, but even free-draining soils will be prone to compaction and trafficability challenges during wet periods.
Once soils are wet, they are structurally weak and this can result in a compacted structure.
My Department does not have a mechanism for monitoring the impact of trafficability, surface damage or compaction. It is up to individual farmers to use appropriate management strategies to protect their soil when it is wet.
