Several State and semi-State bodies are among landowners that have not yet concluded agreements with Uisce Éireann over sites needed for the Shannon-Dublin water pipeline.
Bord na Móna owns more than 130 parcels of land along the 172km (106 miles) route of the pipe proposed to run underground through counties Tipperary, Offaly, Kildare and Dublin.
Uisce Éireann wants permanent access to most of the sites through a wayleave or right of way arrangement so that it can build and maintain the pipe without disruption.
In a few cases, it wants to buy the sites outright.
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It is also in negotiations with South Dublin County Council, Inland Waterways Ireland and Clare County Council for the purchase of small portions of land.
It is seeking temporary access from others, including Limerick County Council and Coillte, over a timeframe that could run to six years.
The arrangements sought are part of a complex suite of deals Uisce Éireann wants to conclude with around 500 farmers and landowners who will be affected by what will be the biggest water infrastructure project in the State’s history.
Details are published on Thursday in a compulsory purchase order (CPO) notice that covers almost all 500 landowners, including those who have already agreed a compensation package that offers an average payment of €100,000.
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Maria O’Dwyer, infrastructure delivery director with Uisce Éireann, said the notice was a necessary formality even though agreement had been reached with around 75 per cent of owners.
“We still have to go through a process of ensuring they can prove title [legal ownership],” she said.
“That has started and as it continues, those 75 per cent will fall off the list.”
Of the 25 per cent outstanding, some people have been unable to accept deals because the land is tied up in legal procedures over inheritances which will take time to resolve.
“Over 90 per cent of people we have dealt with have always let us in to do site investigations with no issue so that’s probably the best indicator of the level of agreement,” Ms O’Dwyer said.
Some payments have already been made where title has been proven, even though Uisce Éireann does not have planning permission.
It will only formally lodge its planning application on Friday.
“That secures the route,” Ms O’Dwyer said. “You could take a view that we’re putting some money at risk but the other side of that is that getting the landowners to sign up, in terms of going into the planning process, significantly derisks the project over all.”
Ms O’Dwyer said negotiations with Bord na Mona and other public bodies was progressing.
“We are working with a number of state agencies but it’s going well and it’s on track,” she said.
Bord na Móna said the discussions were “positive”.
“Bord na Móna are fully supportive of the development of this critical infrastructure project and are committed to working constructively to facilitate its progress,” it said.
Paul Smyth, financial and dairy officer with the ICMSA farming organisation, said most farmers it represented were happy to accept the deal but had some outstanding concerns.
“We put a lot of work into negotiating the package and we feel it’s a good package but it still will have an impact on people – nuisance if nothing more,” he said.
“The main concern would be that the land that’s used temporarily will come back to them in the same condition as it was handed over and that if it doesn’t, there will be further compensation.
“We negotiated an arrangement for that, but farmers would still prefer that there is no loss of quality.”
