The issue of the revised draft of the Nitrates Action Programme by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Cullen, failed to stem the flow of criticism from farm groups.
The programme, which will limit the use of farm manure on land to 170kg per hectare and will force farmers to store manure over the winter to protect water quality, has caused friction between farmers and the Government.
Despite an explicit assurance contained in the draft that Ireland will seek an derogation to allow farmers use up to 250kg of organic nitrogen per hectare, and an easing of the time farmers will be forced to store slurry, the criticisms continued.
The president of the Irish Farmers' Association, Mr John Dillon described the document as "prescriptive farming", and "over- the-top" regulation.
The additional storage facilities needed to meet the regulations would cost farmers €1 billion, money the industry could not afford.
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association president, Mr Pat O'Rourke, described the document as "a fudge" and more restrictive than earlier documents issued by the Department.
The Fine Gael Agriculture spokesman, Mr Billy Timmins, said the new draft did not change the "nub of the problem" that farmers would be forced to limit nitrogen output to 170kg/ha.
Formal submissions on the draft can be made up to August 3rd.