Disputes with farmers over new roads cost £1m a week

Costs of more than £1 million a week are being incurred by the State as a result of a continuing dispute with farmers over compensation for land required for road building. The farmers, members of the IFA, withdrew co-operation with local authorities and the National Roads Authority, advising members to refuse access to surveyors and planners until the issue of compensation was resolved.

However, in correspondence seen by The Irish Times, the roads authority has told the Government that the State is facing legal action from private firms of surveyors and planners who have been denied access to lands to complete their contracts.

In some cases contractors have been refused access to reclaim equipment used in surveying and drill-testing, the authority says. It claims its staff and those of local authorities have been subjected to "obstructive or intimidatory tactics" by farmers.

It says major works have been halted by the dispute. Claiming it must now consider lay-offs, the authority has sent copies of its position paper to all members of the Oireachtas.

In a letter to Mr Jim Devlin, executive secretary of the IFA's industrial committee, Mr Michael Tobin, the chief executive of the authority, warned of damage already done to the National Development Plan, possible job losses and legal actions from consultants and contractors "for standing down, demobilisation and loss of profits". He also said the authority was concerned that the taxpayer would have to pick up the bill for the actions engaged in by IFA members acting with the support of the IFA.

Mr Tobin told the Oireachtas members that farmers' demands for a doubling of compensation would amount to £375 million - the cost of bypassing Abbeyfeale, Adare, Ballaghaderreen, Ballyshannon-Bundoran, Beltur bet, Carrick-on-Suir, Carrickmacross, Castleisland, Charles town, Edgeworthstown, Gorey, New Ross and Tuam.

He also maintained that the compensation package averaged £24,000 an acre, many times the agricultural value of the land.

Mr Tom Parlon of the IFA reacted strongly to the criticism of his organisation. He told The Irish Times that a solution was being worked out at "the highest level".

The compensation package was "extremely inadequate", he said, and farmers were forced into action because the prospect of CPOs "allowed the NRA to behave with no real urgency". Farmers were not antidevelopment, but there was a "major determination" not to back down.