Safeguards are needed from the Government to prevent solar farms springing up on productive farmland to avoid further pressure on the land market, the IFA’s rural development chair John Curran has warned.

The Meath man spoke as developers have signalled interest in over 600ac of solar farms on prime agricultural lands near Kells, although planning has yet to be sought for these plans.

“We are looking at some of the best agricultural and productive land in the country being taken out of the system.

“That will have serious implications on land leasing costs for young farmers and farmers looking to expand,” Curran said.

“The land targeted is some of the best, flattest, most productive land in the area while there are viable alternatives – rooftops – not fully utilised.

“You are practically taking land out of existence for 40 years .

“Once farming is finished on this land for a generation, people will move out and this affects the local GAA club, the school, the pub and the shop,” he warned.

The solar option under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes III (TAMS) currently only grant aids panels to cater for a farmer’s own energy demand, which the IFA rural development chair stated typically equates to only covering 5% of a farm’s roof space.

Loosening this TAMS condition, while guaranteeing a price for exported renewable electricity, would tilt the development of solar away from farmland, Curran maintained.