Some farmers in Limerick and Cork could have as much as 20ac of farmland acquired as part of a new motorway network between the counties.
The final land requirements for the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project have yet to be finalised and are subject to change, but planning permission is expected to be sought by early 2026, with construction beginning in 2028.
The indicative development boundary published in the recent project update included approximately 2,800ac in total area, which includes the existing road network. Of this total area, it’s estimated approximately 2,300ac would be considered farmland.
Communication
Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) north Cork county chair Pat O’Keeffe said although some farmers could be losing as much as 20ac, communication from the developers is much improved.
“I had lots of calls about it in the start of it three years ago, today I’ve no calls about it because [the project team] have communicated quite well with [farmers].”
It is planned for the motorway to begin from Patrickswell, Co Limerick with a ring road around the town of Charleville before continuing on to Cork.
However, there will be consultations with property owners and ongoing design refinement.
In addition, the project will deliver approximately 100km of shared cycle track or cycleways connecting the communities of Blarney, Rathduff, Mallow, New Twopothouse, Buttevant, Ballyhea, Charleville, Bruree, Banogue, Croom and Patrickswell.
By June 2025, the project agronomist carried out around 210 on-site farm surveys, which provide an approximate estimate of the number of farm operations directly impacted.
Although, a spokesperson for the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project said the compulsory purchase order (CPO) schedules will be higher than this.
These surveys include environmental walkovers, site investigations (exploratory boreholes, trial pits, resistivity, magnetometry, watercourses and topographical surveys) and archaeological test trenching.
All planning on farm stopped for 20 years
One farmer affected by the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project has criticised how the ongoing discussions around the motorway have halted farm developments for 20 years.
The Irish Farmers Journal spoke to John Coughlan from Buttevant, Co Cork who is estimated to be losing 7ac from a 60ac out block of land to the motorway project. He said he was one of the luckier farmers affected.
“I’m lucky it’s on the corners; it’s not going right through it but there’s other land here and it’s going right through the centre of farms. That destroys any farm,” he said.
“The land that I have involved in it has been sterilised for the last 20 years because my father looked for planning permission to put a house on it and was refused. I have a son living in a house now that is going to be taken, he doesn’t know if he’ll be there for two years or ten years.”
The price of land has increased in Cork by 15% this year alone, reaching €18,100/ac. Coughlan said it will be extremely unlikely farmers will be able to buy replacement land using their compensation packages.
“Land values on this side of the country are pretty serious. Even to replace land, it will be impossible. Once this goes ahead, the price of land in the area will rise afterwards.”
The former IFA presidential candidate added: “The uncertainty of the whole thing is having a huge impact on people. In my case, this has been going on for three generations now.”
“I think what every farmer wants is clarity and if it’s going to happen then farmers need to be compensated.”
TB and communication among local concerns
The potential spread of TB, access to land and a lack of communication are some of the issues farmers have raised in relation to the new Cork to Limerick motorway.
Former Charleville IFA chair Gay Cagney said the local area is a high TB risk location and wildlife displaced by the works could increase levels of the disease locally. It is also expected road closures will make access an issue for farmers travelling to fields or the local meat factory, she said.
“I’ve learnt more from the [newspaper] than from the Council,” a Limerick dairy farmer said /Philip Doyle)
Cagney added that there needs to be more engagement from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
“Whoever they sent out to meet the farmers, he didn’t seem to be up to speed with farming issues. He was more about industry and worries about the town.”
A Limerick dairy farmer, who is expected to lose 20ac but did not wish to be named, claimed communication has been an issue since consultations began. “I’ve learnt more from the [newspaper] than from the council. There is no question that the N20 is not fit for purpose but if they’re going to do the motorway, which it looks like they will this time, why not engage with the people it’s going to affect most.”
€6,500/ac
‘goodwill’
payment is on the cards
Farmers affected by the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project could be entitled to a €6,500/ac fixed payment on top of their compensation package.
This is part of the National Roads Agreement, a deal negotiated between the IFA and TII which will last until 31 December 2027.
The agreement provides this additional fixed payment in recognition of the co-operation and early access provided by the landowner.
It also provides a facility for an independent assessment of the compensation if a settlement agreement cannot be reached between the landowner and the local authority or TII.
IFA infrastructure project team chair Paul O’Brien said most compensation claims are dealt with within one year.
John Coughlan, Buttevant, Co Cork walking along the proposed route of the Cork Limerick motorway which will cross some of his land. \ Donal O' Leary
“The whole point of having this TII/IFA agreement is to take on board the fact that you’ve lost this land and you’re getting this ‘goodwill’ payment at the end. Payments should be resolved in a much more speedy fashion.”
Some of the key provisions in the agreement include assessing the open market value of the land being acquired by reference and comparison to the size, location and quality of the land parcels in the order.
Account is also taken of the damage to the viability of the farm business, severance and disturbance.
Where farm buildings and other structures are taken, the settlement will include the cost of replacement with comparable facilities for similar purposes.
The local authorities will provide and maintain stock proof fencing on all new motorways, dual-carriageways and national roads provided on or over land.
Compensation will be paid for all damage and disturbance caused during site investigation works, including disturbance to farming activities, livestock and/or crops and full reinstatement shall be made to all lands damaged by site investigations.
The IFA aims to negotiate a “seamless and uninterrupted agreement” past 2027.
The next steps in the N/M20 road process
The latest update to the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project was in June which was the third of four planning and design phases.
This is done in advance of the statutory process of submitting the business case for the project to the Government before the end of 2025. This will undergo Departmental and external review before being awarded funding in the upcoming Budget 2026.
Subject to this approval, a planning application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in early 2026.
Once the project is given the full go-ahead, CPOs will begin issuing, with landowners receiving a notice to treat document in the post.
“The project has [then] taken full control of that land so that land is now the State’s once that CPO is announced,” said the IFA’s Paul O’Brien.
The next procedure will be a notice to entry where land will become fenced off. The IFA recommend that a farmer should speak to an agronomist or land valuer to help seek compensation within three months of this notice.
The motorway project team has said that it aims to begin construction in 2028.
Some farmers in Limerick and Cork could have as much as 20ac of farmland acquired as part of a new motorway network between the counties.
The final land requirements for the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project have yet to be finalised and are subject to change, but planning permission is expected to be sought by early 2026, with construction beginning in 2028.
The indicative development boundary published in the recent project update included approximately 2,800ac in total area, which includes the existing road network. Of this total area, it’s estimated approximately 2,300ac would be considered farmland.
Communication
Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) north Cork county chair Pat O’Keeffe said although some farmers could be losing as much as 20ac, communication from the developers is much improved.
“I had lots of calls about it in the start of it three years ago, today I’ve no calls about it because [the project team] have communicated quite well with [farmers].”
It is planned for the motorway to begin from Patrickswell, Co Limerick with a ring road around the town of Charleville before continuing on to Cork.
However, there will be consultations with property owners and ongoing design refinement.
In addition, the project will deliver approximately 100km of shared cycle track or cycleways connecting the communities of Blarney, Rathduff, Mallow, New Twopothouse, Buttevant, Ballyhea, Charleville, Bruree, Banogue, Croom and Patrickswell.
By June 2025, the project agronomist carried out around 210 on-site farm surveys, which provide an approximate estimate of the number of farm operations directly impacted.
Although, a spokesperson for the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project said the compulsory purchase order (CPO) schedules will be higher than this.
These surveys include environmental walkovers, site investigations (exploratory boreholes, trial pits, resistivity, magnetometry, watercourses and topographical surveys) and archaeological test trenching.
All planning on farm stopped for 20 years
One farmer affected by the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project has criticised how the ongoing discussions around the motorway have halted farm developments for 20 years.
The Irish Farmers Journal spoke to John Coughlan from Buttevant, Co Cork who is estimated to be losing 7ac from a 60ac out block of land to the motorway project. He said he was one of the luckier farmers affected.
“I’m lucky it’s on the corners; it’s not going right through it but there’s other land here and it’s going right through the centre of farms. That destroys any farm,” he said.
“The land that I have involved in it has been sterilised for the last 20 years because my father looked for planning permission to put a house on it and was refused. I have a son living in a house now that is going to be taken, he doesn’t know if he’ll be there for two years or ten years.”
The price of land has increased in Cork by 15% this year alone, reaching €18,100/ac. Coughlan said it will be extremely unlikely farmers will be able to buy replacement land using their compensation packages.
“Land values on this side of the country are pretty serious. Even to replace land, it will be impossible. Once this goes ahead, the price of land in the area will rise afterwards.”
The former IFA presidential candidate added: “The uncertainty of the whole thing is having a huge impact on people. In my case, this has been going on for three generations now.”
“I think what every farmer wants is clarity and if it’s going to happen then farmers need to be compensated.”
TB and communication among local concerns
The potential spread of TB, access to land and a lack of communication are some of the issues farmers have raised in relation to the new Cork to Limerick motorway.
Former Charleville IFA chair Gay Cagney said the local area is a high TB risk location and wildlife displaced by the works could increase levels of the disease locally. It is also expected road closures will make access an issue for farmers travelling to fields or the local meat factory, she said.
“I’ve learnt more from the [newspaper] than from the Council,” a Limerick dairy farmer said /Philip Doyle)
Cagney added that there needs to be more engagement from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
“Whoever they sent out to meet the farmers, he didn’t seem to be up to speed with farming issues. He was more about industry and worries about the town.”
A Limerick dairy farmer, who is expected to lose 20ac but did not wish to be named, claimed communication has been an issue since consultations began. “I’ve learnt more from the [newspaper] than from the council. There is no question that the N20 is not fit for purpose but if they’re going to do the motorway, which it looks like they will this time, why not engage with the people it’s going to affect most.”
€6,500/ac
‘goodwill’
payment is on the cards
Farmers affected by the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project could be entitled to a €6,500/ac fixed payment on top of their compensation package.
This is part of the National Roads Agreement, a deal negotiated between the IFA and TII which will last until 31 December 2027.
The agreement provides this additional fixed payment in recognition of the co-operation and early access provided by the landowner.
It also provides a facility for an independent assessment of the compensation if a settlement agreement cannot be reached between the landowner and the local authority or TII.
IFA infrastructure project team chair Paul O’Brien said most compensation claims are dealt with within one year.
John Coughlan, Buttevant, Co Cork walking along the proposed route of the Cork Limerick motorway which will cross some of his land. \ Donal O' Leary
“The whole point of having this TII/IFA agreement is to take on board the fact that you’ve lost this land and you’re getting this ‘goodwill’ payment at the end. Payments should be resolved in a much more speedy fashion.”
Some of the key provisions in the agreement include assessing the open market value of the land being acquired by reference and comparison to the size, location and quality of the land parcels in the order.
Account is also taken of the damage to the viability of the farm business, severance and disturbance.
Where farm buildings and other structures are taken, the settlement will include the cost of replacement with comparable facilities for similar purposes.
The local authorities will provide and maintain stock proof fencing on all new motorways, dual-carriageways and national roads provided on or over land.
Compensation will be paid for all damage and disturbance caused during site investigation works, including disturbance to farming activities, livestock and/or crops and full reinstatement shall be made to all lands damaged by site investigations.
The IFA aims to negotiate a “seamless and uninterrupted agreement” past 2027.
The next steps in the N/M20 road process
The latest update to the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project was in June which was the third of four planning and design phases.
This is done in advance of the statutory process of submitting the business case for the project to the Government before the end of 2025. This will undergo Departmental and external review before being awarded funding in the upcoming Budget 2026.
Subject to this approval, a planning application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in early 2026.
Once the project is given the full go-ahead, CPOs will begin issuing, with landowners receiving a notice to treat document in the post.
“The project has [then] taken full control of that land so that land is now the State’s once that CPO is announced,” said the IFA’s Paul O’Brien.
The next procedure will be a notice to entry where land will become fenced off. The IFA recommend that a farmer should speak to an agronomist or land valuer to help seek compensation within three months of this notice.
The motorway project team has said that it aims to begin construction in 2028.
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