It’s understood a group of local farmers in Co. Wexford have blockaded the new M11 road currently under construction. It’s said the road has been blocked with a slurry tank and two bale trailers.
Speaking to AgriLand, Wexford Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA’s) grain chairman, John Murphy, explained that farmers have blocked the road as they are frustrated at a number of issues.
“Basically, we have a savage amount of issues with land drainage, underpasses, water, flooding and electric fences. There’s any amount of issues. In a nutshell, it’s a disaster.”
The company building the road is BAM Construction and Murphy has said the road will remain blocked until the company agree to sort matters out with the affected farmers.
Farmers want the deals that had been agreed initially to be carried out as originally planned.
He outlined that they also want the works to be done to an acceptable standard in an agreed time frame and in a manner that will not have implications on their remaining land.
Murphy said that to date, all of these requests are being met without response from BAM construction.
He also outlined that farmers are annoyed as the road construction company is making no effort whatsoever to cooperate with farmers.
“Farmers are annoyed because we are being told that we can’t use our land in the manner we would normally be using it.
“Our daily routine now involves working around where the road workers are and that’s not going to happen any more.”
Murphy concluded by warning that the blockade will not be moved until an agreement is reached. Commenting on what might happen otherwise, Murphy said: “If it’s going to escalate, we’re going to block it somewhere else.”