Deputy president of the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), Denis Drennan has said that the government’s current proposal to extend compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers to commercial entities is “alarming”.
Drennan, who also chairs ICMSA’s Farm and Rural Affairs Committee, said that the proposal was part of a “worrying pattern” that had seen rights around property “deliberately eroded” by government.
The proposal to extend CPO powers comes as part of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) consultation on Private Wires.
It acknowledges the need for electricity infrastructure to support the growth in demand.
Currently, electricity infrastructure is provided for by the national electricity grid, under the ownership of the ESB, which gives it the right to lay cables across public and private land.
Private Wires is considering extending this right to private entities in order to meet electricity demands.
The consultation period, which runs until October 13, gives the public the chance to provide views on the role Private Wires could play in the future Irish electricity eco-system.
The public are being asked to provide possible benefits and challenges.
CPO powers
“To even suggest that large commercial entities – many of which are not even Irish owned – would be given CPO powers over private lands is really quite extraordinary,” Drennan said.
“The idea that such a radical overreach could be promoted by government is downright alarming and ICMSA will strongly resist any further attempts to undermine our constitutional property rights,” Drennan said.
He said that at present, when a commercial entity wants to utilise private lands, they enter negotiations with the landowner concerned and that the ICMSA will “insist” that this is the way it continues.
Meanwhile, Laois-Offaly TD Carol Nolan said that any extension to CPO powers would be a “retrograde step”.
“My own sense is that farmers will certainly not be frog marched, forced marched or otherwise be compelled to surrender land so that government can claim credit on the roll-out of its policies on renewables. Enough is enough,” Deputy Nolan said.
“There is such a thing as private land and private property.
“Unfortunately, it seems that these are principles and legal realities that government seems determined to end or to hollow out in the name of some dubious version of the ‘common good’.”
A spokesperson for the DECC said that, to date, there has been “significant interest” shown in responses for the ongoing consultation.
The department has encouraged all interested parties to submit a response.
Following the consultation period, the department said it intends to publish the contents of all responses received on its website.