IFA president Joe Healy has accused local authorities of ignoring the instructions of Minister for Transport, Shane Ross by continuing to threaten farmers with CPOs in efforts to plough through greenway routes, despite the minister’s decision to halt developments while engagement takes place with all stakeholders.

Healy has written to Minister Ross to point out that such practice is not a professional or fair way of delivering greenways, which he acknowledged have an important role to play in promoting agri-tourism and economic activity in rural areas.

He said: “This practice in Kerry, Galway and other regions ignores the significant impact these recreational routes will have on farming and rural communities.”

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The IFA has actively engaged in the minister’s consultation on greenways, calling for a code of practice to be developed to include the following measures:

  • Landowners and the IFA must be consulted in advance of route selection and the publication of a defined route corridor.
  • All efforts must be made to secure voluntary agreements with landowners. There should be no threat of compulsory acquisition of land.
  • The integrity of farm holdings must be protected by limiting the impact of a proposed greenway on an individual farm. This should be achieved by consultation with local landowners at the route designing stage and it must take place in advance of wider public consultation.
  • All efforts must be made to use available public lands before seeking to encroach on farmers’ lands.
  • A code of practice must be developed, which sets out the rights and entitlements of landowners.
  • The services of a professional agronomist must be provided to each landowner affected to assist in understanding and resolving concerns, at no cost to the landowners.
  • Any losses incurred such as exclusion from farm schemes and effect on basic payment must be fully compensated.