The Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has submitted a proposal to the European Commission for approval which "aims to strike the balance between the vital protection of peatlands and wetlands, and the farmers right to continue with agricultural activity on this land".

According to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, the DAFM proposal aims to ensure that Ireland delivers "on the legal requirement to introduce a baseline standard to protect carbon rich soils".

However the minister has also stressed that he wants to ensure that farmers "can continue to engage in normal agricultural practices while meeting this requirement".

Farm organisations have becoming increasingly vocal about their concerns over how Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) could impact on farmers combined with the requirements of the Nature Restoration Law.

Minister Heydon told the Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture Martin Kenny and the Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry, Michael Cahill, last week that GAEC 2 is "a baseline requirement and is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) payment scheme".

The minister also highlighted that the DAFM proposal in relation to GAEC 2 "does not prohibit any of the common practices" in relation to agricultural activity on peatlands and wetlands.

Minister Heydon outlined that under the proposal drawn up by DAFM and submitted to the European Commission grassland reseeding is still possible, as is maintenance and repair of existing drains.

"New drains are also allowed, subject to the relevant planning legislation, which is already a requirement," he added.

Minister Heydon said that in the DAFM proposal "there are no new restrictions on fertiliser use".

He added: "Lower limits for the use of fertiliser (phosphorus) on peat soils have been in place for a number of years under nitrates legislation.