A new agreement has been reached to ensure far fewer objections to greenway developments, with farmers and other landowners to receive payments if they agree not to lodge objections to new greenways.
The highest flat fee to landowners for their cooperation is just over €22,000. However, that fee could go much higher of the farmers own much larger tracts of land.
And the payments set to be made to ensure the agreement of landowners is only a sweetener deal to prepare the way for the greenways as they will also be paid for their land needed for the greenways.
Farmers and other landowners who own the smallest pieces of land required for greenways - up to 100 metres in length - will be paid an upfront fee of €6,750 before a deal is struck to purchase their lands.
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The upfront fees then get higher for large tracts of land; €12,000 for land between 100 to 250 metres long; €17,250 for 250-400 metres and €22,500 for 400-500 metres. A smaller group of landowners who have larger tracts of land will be paid €3,220 plus €35 for every metre of land required.
The "sustainability" payments will be made upfront before any transaction to buy land needed for new greenways. It means around 5,000 landowners, whose cooperation is needed for 26 greenways under development, will not go through the compulsory purchase order process.
Instead, they will be paid an upfront fee for not agreeing to object to the greenways and then a deal will be struck to buy they land for a fee. The deal has bee reached between numerous agencies including the Department of Transport, local councils, Sport Ireland, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Fáilte Ireland.
Crucially, the agreement has won he backing of several farming organisations including the Irish Farmers' Association, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association.
The deal has been achieved arising from a review carried out by a working group within the Department of Transport. It is aimed at ensuring greenway developments do not become bogged down in protracted disputes between local authorities and landowners.
