Hundreds of farmers are “very concerned” about the proposed 170km Shannon to Dublin water pipeline, because of the lasting impact it could have on their land.

Taking water from the Lower Shannon at Parteen Basin in North Tipperary has been identified as the preferred option as a new source of water for the Eastern and Midlands region.

A group set up to protect the River Shannon has said it will “strongly oppose” any move to divert the river to Dublin to cater for anticipated water supply shortages in the capital.

OPPONENTS of a plan to extract water from the River Shannon to guarantee future supplies for the greater Dublin region claim the project is “ill-considered” and “risky in the extreme”.