Independent Ireland leader, Michael Collins is urging the Taoiseach to "stand with landowners" and force a drop in the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for greenway negotiations.

Certain statutory bodies can take land without consent of the owner. A CPO is the legal function used to do this.

Deputy Collins said that this summer had been one of "huge discontent and serious upset" for farmers and landowners on the proposed greenway route from Cork to Kinsale.

"CPO has its use for infrastructural projects as a last resort, but to use CPO to grab land from farmers and landowners for recreational purposes is one step too far," Collins warned.

"This peaceful campaign in West Cork has opened up similar nightmares for landowners throughout the country who had or will have their lands taken from them from with CPO for walkways in counties Mayo and Kerry and other parts of the country."

He pointed to government policy to mainly use state-owned land for greenway walks.

However, in the Cork to Kinsale proposed route, the majority of land is privately-owned, which Collins said would "destroy in particular many farms, splitting them in two and making them unworkable".

He urged Taoiseach Micheál Martin to "stand with these landowners and force Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to drop CPO for any greenway negotiations going forward".

The Taoiseach said that TII "needs to ease up on the spec".

"People want to retain the biodiversity. They want to retain the natural pathways," he said.

"I will certainly have a look at it and see what is happening there.

"Once you get into the CPO, you are in trouble in terms of any greenway."

The Cork to Kinsale greenway project is being developed by Cork County Council and funded by TII.

It aims to provide a greenway between Cork City and Kinsale, and a link to future greenways in West Cork.