Sir, - In view of all the publicity given this week to the proposed route between Cashel and Mitchelstown and the IFA protest about compensation payments to farmers I would like to make a point that has been strangely absent from all the debate - compensation for other householders affected by new motorways.
We rely on legislation from the last century and the beginning of this century to decide on compensation to farmers. At that time farmers were about the only people in the countryside aside from a few council cottage dwellers, so there was no need to think of compensation to householders. Now, there are a large number of fine, well-appointed houses. You can like or dislike "bungalow bliss", but these houses are the main asset of their owners, in some cases the only asset. Many of the owners have big mortgages to repay, many are hoping in their old age to have a sizeable asset to dispose of should they need the money or to be able to pass these houses on to their children as is their right.
With the National Roads Plan, the largest programme of road construction since the foundation of the State, many of these householders will find the value of their holdings cut in half and for many it will be impossible to sell should they want to. This devaluation of personal assets seems to be taken for granted by the public servants who implement these plans and it seems to me it is time somebody looked at the inequality of this. Certainly, farmers should get proper compensation, but so also should householders who are affected by the new roads. - Yours, etc.,
Margaret O'Dwyer, Secretary, N8 Action Group, Cahir, Co Tipperary.