IFA President Tim Cullinan says comments by Eamon Ryan that he would not rule out the compulsory purchase of lands for National Parks were inflammatory and delusional.
The farming leader hit back at government policy to rewild some land and says that use of the powers of the state to obtain land will be resisted.
Mr Cullinan also says using Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) in this way would be an abuse of power and highly questionable from a legal perspective.
The IFA will use every possible avenue to stop such a move according to the Tipperary based farm leader.
There are no specific plans to acquire land using CPO at present to create a national park – Minister Ryan highlighted that CPOs are used to acquire land to build roads or for other public benefits and did not rule it out for environmental purposes.
