The national council of the Irish Farmers' Association has approved a new agreement on land acquisitions for national roads, bringing closer an end to the protest which has held up the road-building programme.
The IFA president, Mr Tom Parlon, said: "The association's national council considered the agreement in detail today and fully endorses its provisions for land acquisitions for national roads."
Mr Parlon also reported to the national council on an intensive series of landowner meetings where details of the agreement have been presented to landowners on the routes of roads under the programme.
"Landowners who are directly affected by the land acquisition system for national roads have given this agreement broad support and acceptance.
"The IFA will now move to ensure full implementation of the agreement and its effective delivery for landowners in the paths of national roads development," he said.
This commitment in delivering the IFA side of the bargain may be crucial as it was reported at the weekend that many of the 8,000 farmers involved in the dispute were unhappy with the settlement.
The agreement applies to national roads development under the National Development Plan 2000-06.
It provides for major changes in the valuation of land taken for roads and reform of the land acquisition procedures used by local authorities, including, for the first time, deadlines on local authorities for issuing notices, responding to landowner claims and paying compensation when agreed, said Mr Parlon
In addition, landowners affected by national road development will be paid an additional fixed 5,000 euro per acre, Mr Parlon's statement continued.
Meanwhile, following a meeting with officials of the Department of the Environment, the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, Mr Pat O'Rourke, assured his members that he would protect their rights in relation to road developments.
He said the Department had agreed to examine making the improved compensation package retrospective for farmers who had agreed road compensation with the National Roads Authority or local authorities since January 2000.