The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has said that a draft report from an engineering consultancy firm on a walking trail along the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare has "sent shock waves" after it appeared to recommend using compulsory purchase orders (CPO) on farmland.

The report, understood to have been prepared for Clare County Council, outlines ways for the council to gain "full operational control" of the lands necessary to allow the council to manage the amenity.

A number of options are outlined in the report to achieve this, including full ownership by the county council; a mix of full ownership and long-term lease; and long-term lease on all affected lands.

The report states that "it is recommended" that Clare County Council explore options for securing the lands "through compulsory purchase".

The draft report has not yet been officially published.

The report only makes recommendations, and does not outline a specific course of action that Clare County Council will take.

However, the IFA has reacted with dismay to the suggestion in the report that CPOs be considered.

Francie Gorman, the association's president, said the organisation "strongly rejects" the recommendation, saying it would amount to a move to "confiscate private land from farmers".

"Farmers are reading reports which state that Clare County Council has been advised to buy-out all 36 landowners who currently own sections of the Cliffs of Moher trail, using compulsory purchase orders if necessary," Gorman said.

"Many years ago, landowners on the Cliffs of Moher agreed to allow a permissive walk through their lands and they are now being threatened with a CPO," he claimed.

Tom Lane, former chairperson of Clare IFA, and who has been leading negotiations between landowners in the area with the council, called on the local authority to "immediately withdraw" the CPO options from the draft report before its final publication.

Lane called on Clare County Council to "engage constructively" with the farmers in the area "so an effective arrangement can be agreed on the Cliffs of Moher coastal walk which reflects the scale of up to 1.5 million tourists and and estimated revenue of €19 million annually".

He claimed that the inclusion of CPO as an option in the report "has sent shock waves to landowners all over the country who have facilitated walkways in their local communities and benefitted tourism".

"On the Cliffs of Moher, as a direct consequence of facilitating the walkways and making it a success through permissive access, landowners are facing the threat of a CPO. This is wrong and a complete abuse of power," Lane remarked.