Nearly half of farms inspected by Laois Council failed water quality standard
Laois reinspection rate was above the national non-compliance rate
Nearly half of farms inspected by Laois County Council under a national programme to improve water quality had to be re-inspected, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report.
The National Agricultural Inspection Programme (NAIP) summary report for 2025 outlines Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) inspection figures by county, which revealed a high national non-compliance rate in Laois and other counties.
The EPA says the inspection programme aims to achieve higher levels of compliance and strengthen enforcement to protect and, in so doing, reduce the impacts of agricultural activity on water quality.
The EPA has set inspection targets for each local authority under the NAIP, which it says prioritises areas where agricultural activity poses the greatest risk to water quality. In 2025, 4,315 farms were inspected by local authorities, which is 96% of the annual target of 4,500 set by the EPA.
There was a 66% increase in inspections nationally from 2024 to last year.
A total of 136 initial farm inspections were carried out in Laios in 2025, which was up 37% on the previous year. The EPA target for Laois County Council was 134 inspections. Of the local farms inspected, 47% had to be visited again by officials at County Hall in Portlaoise for not reaching standards.
The reinspection rate was above the national non-compliance rate of 43%. Reinspections were attributed to poor farming practices or management according to the EPA.
- Some of the main reasons for non-compliance include:
- Uncontrolled runoff from farmyard manure;
- Inadequate management of silage pits;
- Silage effluent discharging to groundwater;
- Clean water not properly segregated, and soiled water not properly managed
- Inadequate storage capacity and inadequate management and control of slurry.
The EPA added that poor farming management practices can pollute rivers, streams and coastal waters through the release of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The EPA say harmful pathogens and nitrates also pose a risk to human health through contamination of drinking water wells and/or abstraction sources.
To address the high non-compliance rate, local authorities should increase follow-up inspections to close out outstanding cases.
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The EPA said follow-up inspections by local authorities are critical to ensure that non-compliances are remediated. In addition, it said non-compliant farmers may be subject to enforcement actions that may impact their Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme payments, a prosecution or a combination of both.
A total of 2,935 enforcement actions were taken by local authorities in 2025.
Dr Tom Ryan is the Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement.
“The significant increase in the number of farm inspections carried out by local authorities in 2025 is welcomed. Agriculture remains a significant pressure on our water quality and the non-compliance rate found during inspections remains too high. Farm compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations is essential to protecting and improving water quality.
"In addition, a more consistent and sustained enforcement effort is needed across all local authorities to ensure full compliance with these Regulations and to protect public health and the environment,” he said.
Ray Cullinane is Acting Programme Manager, Office of Environmental Enforcement.
“Local authorities must sustain the increased level of farm-inspection activity achieved in 2025. To address the high non-compliance rate, local authorities should increase follow-up inspections to close out outstanding cases and ensure full compliance with the relevant Regulations. In parallel, local authorities, advisory services and industry stakeholders must also strengthen compliance-promotion and awareness-raising activities to support farmers in meeting their regulatory obligations,” he said.
The National Agricultural Inspection Programme Summary Report 2025 is available on the EPA Website.