IFA concern at land acquisition

A Western farm leader has expressed “serious concerns” about the acquisition of land for the proposed Galway to Athlone greenway cycle route, stressing that “consultation and co-operation is the only route to go”.

Connacht IFA regional chairman Tom Turley told the Connacht Tribune that the compulsory purchase order process should not be used to acquire land and he warned that farms could not be split with the stroke of a pen by the route planners.

He said that while the greenway project had its own merits, it wasn’t one of strategic importance that would necessitate the use of the compulsory purchase order process