The findings of a recent report which reviewed EirGrid's community consultation process is confirmation that EirGrid has not listen to or genuinely engaged with the rural community, the IFA has said.

IFA Environment and Rural Affairs Chairman Harold Kingston said it is difficult to see how EirGrid can impose a new consultation on those in the catchment areas of the North South project, the Grid Link project and the Grid West project and "expect communities to trust them".

Kingston said EirGrid will have to pursue an alternative strategy if they are to regain the confidence of rural communities "which replicates the eight decades of community engagement carried out by ESB when delivering electricity infrastructure in this country”.

The IFA has said it will "robustly represent" the interest of farm families in any new consultations with EirGrid.