The impasse between the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and local authorities over the compulsory acquisition of land for new road-building projects may soon be at an end, as the IFA puts new proposals to its members.
IFA President, Mr Tom Parlon, said this evening that the association had secured fundamental changes to land acquisition procedures from the Government that will ensure the national roads programme can be implemented efficiently.
Mr Parlon said that the association will put the new agreement to landowners which will reform the land acquisition system and deliver what he referred to as "fair payments" for lands being taken for roads.
The new agreement, which Mr Parlon said addresses serious flaws in the CPO system, imposes deadlines on local authorities in issuing notices, responding to landowner claims and making payment to landowners once agreement has been reached.
"Also, the enormous disruption and dislocation suffered by farmers affected by the national roads programme has been recognised through a payment of €5,000 per acre," he added.
The proposed agreement must be approved by the IFA and the National Roads Authority before it is implemented.