It is to compensate those affected along the route of the proposed pipeline from the river Shannon<\/a> to the Greater Dublin Area<\/a>. <\/p>\n It is understood the overall value of the package is in the region of \u20ac42 million, meaning the 500 farmers and landowners affected stand to bank average windfalls of about \u20ac100,000. This includes the value of the package, which is \u20ac218.25 per linear metre. <\/p>\n The agreement reached with the Irish Farmers Assocation<\/a> (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association<\/a> (ICMSA) is expected to greatly reduce the likelihood of objections to the 170km (105-mile) pipeline.<\/p>\n Known as the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region,, the infrastructure has a current cost estimate, excluding contingency allowances, of just over \u20ac3 billion. <\/p>\n However, the Department of Housing warned the Public Accounts Committee<\/a> earlier this year that it could exceed \u20ac10 billion in a worst-case risk scenario<\/a>. <\/p>\n It is expected to clear planning by 2027. <\/p>\n The deal for potentially more than 500 farmers and landowners includes an early sign-on payment, a \u201cwayleave\u201d payment, a crop loss and disturbance payment and a special goodwill payment. <\/p>\n There are additional payments for those who will have ancillary elements on their land, such as valves, wash-out chambers and lay-bys. It will be up to individual landowners to sign up for payments.<\/p>\n During negotiations, the IFA and ICMSA expressed concern over implications for farmers if there were long delays to the planning or with the pipeline being completed. The package provides for inflation and consumer price indexation for goodwill payments after 2030. <\/p>\n The water is due to be extracted at Parteen Basin in Co Tipperary and treated at a plant in nearby Birdhill, before being piped to Peamount in Co Dublin \u2013 while also supplying towns in the midlands. <\/p>\n Campaign groups in Co Tipperary oppose the project, claiming it will damage thousands of hectares of agricultural land and have a negative ecological impact on the Shannon.<\/p>\n The Greater Dublin Area (GDA) is facing increasing water supply issues due to urban expansion and industrial development, along with overreliance on the river Liffey and a high level of leakage in the capital\u2019s supply system. <\/p>\n The agreement marks a significant milestone in advance of submitting a planning application to An Coimisi\u00fan <\/b>Plean\u00e1la<\/a>, said Uisce \u00c9ireann. It will enable \u201cacquisition of the necessary rights to lay, operate and maintain the pipeline infrastructure, in advance of a strategic infrastructure development planning application later this year\u201d. <\/p>\n![\"Lough](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/LQOCFISWXVM3VMCKKXKHTI7KYU.jpg\")
Lough Derg: Water is due to be extracted at nearby Parteen Basin in Co Tipperary, and treated at a plant in Birdhill, before being piped to Peamount in Co Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson\/The Irish Times<\/p>\n