Mr. Owen Bannigan:

EirGrid has never offered compensation of any kind to any landowner in County Monaghan in the past six years. The company has been pressed to do so but has stated it does not have a national agreement in place. It is attempting to negotiate a national agreement with the farm organisations. The policy of the ICSMA is that the line should go underground. The Irish Farmers' Association is the largest farmers' organisation. We have met senior IFA figures on a number of occasions who have consistently taken the position that the association will not get involved at this stage. However, if the project were to secure planning permission, it would get involved in the process with a view to representing farmers from a compensation perspective. I have made clear to the IFA that it is letting down landowners by choosing not to become involved in the process at this stage.

As members are aware, the IFA is holding an election for national president. Last Thursday night, at a regional meeting close to us, both candidates for the position stated they wanted the lines placed underground and that, as and from last Thursday, this was IFA policy. We will wait to see if that is the case. Having made such a public statement, the farm organisations should get involved at this stage.