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The Department for Agriculture has introduced an "enhanced verification process" after concerns were raised about "fabricated documentation" being used in some poultry farm applications.

An investigation found more than 20 letters in support of applications were either falsified or amended.

It followed an internal investigation by the Irish agri-food agency Teagasc.

The planning applications concerned the export of chicken manure produced by local poultry farms.

, The Guardian and Noteworthy.ie uncovered the falsified documentation.

Chicken litter is a powerful fertiliser that can be used as compost in the mushroom industry, or spread on land used to grow crops (tillage) or vegetables.

One consideration in the planning process is that the applicant has identified a "sustainable outlet for any animal manure".

This is to ensure environmental standards can be met, as ammonia can damage ecosystems.

Chicken litter may be exported to the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere.

A spokesperson for the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said it "requires the planning application to contain evidence that the recipient is a bona fide farmer with the capability to utilise the manure from the development at the location stated and has agreed to accept it".

"The department has to date accepted Teagasc letters as appropriate evidence," the spokesperson added.

The department says it was contacted by Teagasc, following an internal investigation in 2021.

It alerted the Department for Infrastructure which contacted local councils, advising that any future supporting letters from Teagasc were to have their authenticity checked directly with the Irish agri-food agency.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has initiated action against three site operators about potential breaches of compliance rules around submitting manure export records.

The latest statistics from DAERA show there are 24.5 million chickens in Northern Ireland.