Deal clears path for Shannon-Dublin water pipeline

Uisce Éireann has struck a deal with the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) on compensation for landowners along the route of its planned water pipeline for the Eastern and Midlands region.

The agreement, reached after months of negotiations, clears a key hurdle ahead of a planning application to An Coimisiún Pleanála later this year.

More than 500 farmers have been offered upfront payments in return for wayleaves to lay, operate and maintain the pipeline. The deadline for signing up has been extended from September 23rd to October 7th.

Uisce Éireann programme director Mike Healy said the package reflected the scale of the project and would “greatly benefit” from farm group input. “The need is clear – water supply in the Eastern and Midlands region faces major challenges, with forecasts showing demand will rise by 34 per cent by 2044,” he said.

The pipeline is intended to reduce Dublin’s heavy reliance on the River Liffey, which currently supplies water to 1.7 million people.