The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said that it has negotiated a new agreement with the ESB and EirGrid regarding compensation and goodwill payments to landowners.
The payments relate to the placing of new 110kV and 220kV overhead electric lines on their lands.
It allows landowners the option of accepting what is on offer under this agreement, and/or pursuing their own claim through arbitration, which they are entitled to do under the relevant legislation, according to the association.
Agreement for landowners
IFA president Tim Cullinan said the agreement provides farmers impacted by new 110/220kV electric lines on their lands with an option other than the arbitration route which he said can be time consuming, costly and uncertain.
However, the farmer’s statutory rights remain fully protected. Even if they choose to accept the payments negotiated by IFA, they still have the option of going to arbitration.
“As part of this agreement, the ESB will continue to apply the ESB/IFA Code of Practice which is very important in terms of the rights of landowners and in respect of land damage and crop loss,” Cullinan said.
IFA’s negotiating team for each project comprises four farmers and a lead negotiator appointed by the IFA president.
The association has said that these teams have access to all necessary advice including legal advice, and it has been agreed that ESB/EirGrid will contribute towards costs incurred by the IFA during the negotiations.
Two other negotiations are currently underway in relation to payments for infrastructure passing over forestry and the refurbishing and uprating of 110/220kv lines.
Compensation
Qualifying landowners will receive compensation in three stage payments, as set out in the table below.
Payment Condition Mast Poleset Stayed poleset Conductor wire only 1 Paid at time of commencement of works on landowner’s land €14,500 €7,250 €13,250 €3,500 2 Paid when all works are complete on landowner’s land €9,000 €4,500 €4,500 3 Paid on completion of entire project (or within 18 months of completion of works on their land) €6,000 €3,000 €3,000 Total €29,500 €14,750 €20,750 €3,500
The additional goodwill payment is calculated as 10% of the total compensation payments with a minimum of €5,000 and a maximum of €10,000 per landowner.
In addition to the compensation and goodwill payments, any land damage and crop loss caused as a result of the works will be reinstated by the ESB or compensated for in accordance with the ESB/IFA Code of Practice.