Following months of negotiations, farming organisations have reached agreement with Uisce Éireann on a land and wayleave package that will support the delivery of the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region.

The package, developed with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), includes upfront payments for affected landowners and is designed to minimise the impact of pipeline construction and operation on agricultural land.

The agreement provides a clear pathway for securing voluntary wayleaves along the pipeline route, a key step in preparing for the Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application. In July, Uisce Éireann issued the package to more than 500 landowners, enabling the acquisition of rights to lay, operate and maintain the infrastructure needed for the project.

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Mike Healy, Uisce Éireann Programme Director, said: "We would like to thank the IFA and ICMSA for their input and feedback in advance of our communications to landowners. The voluntary wayleave package issued has greatly benefited from the discussions and negotiations that took place between Uisce Eireann and the farm organisations. This is a major step towards the delivery of this essential infrastructure and follows months of collaborative engagement, and we look forward to further engaging with landowners and communities along the route.

"The need is clear - water supply in the Eastern and Midlands region currently faces major challenges, notably the over-reliance on the River Liffey to supply 1.7 million people in the Greater Dublin Area. With forecasts showing that the region will need 34% more water by 2044, this combination of a growing water supply deficit and lack of supply resilience is simply not sustainable."

Direct engagement with landowners is ongoing, and the deadline for returning consent forms has been extended from September 23 to October 7. This extension allows additional time for landowners to consider the terms of the agreement and seek advice before confirming participation.