The deputy president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), Eamon Carroll has called on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to publish the interim nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) statements as a matter of urgency.

Carroll, who also chairs the farm and rural affairs committee, believes that in light of an ongoing focus on water quality, derogation applications, and nutrient management, it is "astonishing" that the updated statement for 2025 has not been published.

He noted that the 2024 statements were published in July (2024), and with the introduction of the slurry movement app, Carroll claims it was expected that statements would be published earlier for 2025.

According to the ICMSA deputy president, farmers are playing their role in improving water quality, and said it is "hugely disappointing" that the department is "falling short" by not providing the information.

Carroll said: "The delay in finalising the interim statements has left farmers and advisors without the information and clarity needed to plan effectively for compliance as we enter the final weeks to export slurry and adjust cattle numbers or take temporary grazing.

"And particularly where we were told that the inclusion of technology in the format of the Organic Slurry Movement app was going to give us near ‘real time’ information and updates?

"So far from that happening, we’re actually going to get the information later this year than we did last year. This is bizarre and there must be no further delay in the publication of these statements if the department want farmers to keep on the correct track and avoid unnecessary penalties," Carroll added.

Carroll believes that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has to "get after this" and ensure that the interim statements are made available.