Farmer worried despite land case victory over IDA

A Co Kildare farmer, who yesterday won his legal battle with the IDA over the attempted compulsory purchase of his farm, has said he is hopeful that he can now forget about the matter but that he remains worried.

Thomas Reid (53), of Hedsor House, Blakestown, Maynooth, Co Kildare, has won his appeal to the Supreme Court of a High Court order upholding the IDA's right to compulsorily purchase his home and farm. The property directly adjoins the massive Intel site in Co Kildare. Intel was not a party to the case.

Mr Reid said his grandfather bought the house and farm in the early 1900s and that he had never considered selling the land.

The price was never an issue and he had been determined right from the start, he said, that it would not be mentioned. “I told people, once you mention money, they have you, so that’s what I didn’t do.” He said he also “kept away” from any engagement with councillors or politicians.

Objections

He said the farm was just 500 metres away from the Intel plant and that he had over the years made a number of objections about planning permission applications related to it. A recent initiative by Minister for the Environment

Alan Kelly

to review how objections could hold up the planning process, was partly due to his, Mr Reid’s activities, he said.

He said the Supreme Court ruling was “probably a good day for Ireland” considering the way councils and politicians were “colluding” in relation to planning matters. He named a number of senior politicians who were, he said, involved “on the quiet” in the effort to get him off his land.

He said it was a relief that he had won, but that he had a funny feeling that there were those who were already busy with further efforts in relation to the matter.

A spokesman for the IDA said it was considering the judgment and would not be making any comment at this time. Intel employs more than 5,000 people in Ireland.