Lack of agreement with farmers could delay €450m Limerick to Foynes road - IFA

THE LACK of an agreement between farmers and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) could delay the €450m Foynes to Limerick motorway project - and the Adare bypass essential to the 2027 Ryder Cup - say Limerick IFA.

Farmers are disappointed that a new and updated co-operation agreement between TII and IFA hasn’t been agreed to replace one dating from 2016, said Sean Lavery, Limerick IFA chairman.

He says the existing agreement was rolled over for 12 months but ended last December. So far in 2022 TII have not engaged with IFA and "this now threatens ongoing co-operation with farmers" said Mr Lavery.

"Farmers impacted by the project have received letters from the county council requesting co-operation to access their lands for a walking survey. Some farmers have already refused access to council staff for a variety of reasons, but the main reason is the lack of a meaningful co-operation agreement," said Mr Lavery.

It is understood around 10 farmers have declined to allow walking surveys of their land this week, thus far, with more expected to follow suit.

"The last agreement dates from before the Celtic Tiger era and was reduced in value to €3,000 per acre during the economic crisis. While IFA agreed to roll over the agreement to the end of December 2021, they have insisted to TII that a new agreement is now required. 

"IFA is demanding that TII engage with it to agree an updated code of practice and increased payments to reflect inflation. In addition, any farmer who has refused access should not be discriminated against for non-co-operation," said Mr Lavery.

While IFA is not opposed to essential infrastructure development he says "it will always seek to ensure that impacted farmers are compensated fairly for land lost to road projects and compensated for the inconvenience of having their farms reduced in size and split in many cases". 

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Up to 200 properties will be impacted with some farmers losing as much as 30 acres. The project route will construct a new 17.5km motorway from Attyflin Junction at Patrickswell to Rathleale, plus a 15.6km dual carriageway from Rathkeale to Foynes and a 1.9km single carriage way link to Askeaton. 

A spokesperson for the TII told a Limerick Live a meeting has been scheduled with the IFA for October 17 to discuss the agreement.

There was no response to a query sent to Limerick City and County Council regarding the matter at the time of publication.