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Sat 05 May 2004Slurry hits the fanFailure to tackle the level of slurry use on Irish farms has long been a bugbear of anglers and environmentalists, but it has now come to a head with the Government being cited for inaction by the European Commission, writes Iva PocockThe row over how much slurry farmers may spread on their land has been simmering for over a decade, with anglers pointing to polluted rivers and lakes, and farmers insisting that their wastes are only partly responsible for declining water quality. Now, following the recent European Court ruling against Ireland over its failure to prevent nitrate pollution in agriculture, and next year's measure which will force farmers to comply with a range of environmental legislation before receiving their annual payment, the issue has come to a head.