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Updated 7.20pm
JOE HEALY HAS been elected the new president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).
The Athenry-based farmer and agricultural journalist was elected on the first count, winning 50% of votes.
The election follows on from controversy surrounding wages late last year.
In November, it was revealed that former general secretary Pat Smith had a pay package worth almost €1 million in 2013 and 2014 combined. It was also revealed that he would be paid a pension in the region of €2 million after he resigned.
Following on from the controversy, former president of the organisation Eddie Downey resigned when it was reported that he had signed off on Smith’s severance package. Downey’s own wage packet was revealed to have been €147,000.
Speaking on Drivetime this evening, Healy said IFA members’ “anger” over the controversy had turned to “disappointment and disillusionment”.
He said a remuneration committee, which he will not sit on, will decide his pay as well as that of the CEO. Healy said he will be happy once his farm labour costs are covered and he receives vouched expenses.
He added that he wants to address the financial pressure most sectors of farming are currently under.
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney congratulated Healy on his appointment.
“The IFA is an organisation which provides strong representation for farmers across a range of sectors. I have always enjoyed a good working relationship with the IFA and I look forward to continuing this with Joe,” Coveney said.
Count
There had been three hopefuls for the new presidency, with Healy seeing off competition from IFA livestock chairman Henry Burns and Flor McCarthy to take the position.
This follows on from a month of voting by farmers across the country. Just over 75,000 farmers were eligible to vote.
Meanwhile, Richard Kennedy was elected IFA deputy president and John Coughlan was elected IFA Munster chairman.
- with reporting by Órla Ryan
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The continuity IFA. Up the fa.
Henry Burns was very bitter on the six one news, extremely bad form, sour grapes in abundance , did himself and his supporters no favours, just stopped short of saying Joe Healey was not entitled to be there as he was not a member of the clique that is FIFA , sorry, IFA. an extra F there , Freudian slip.. Well done Joe .
Joe Healy is romping home.
King of the Farmers.
There won’t be a cow milked in Athenry tonight.
If there is an organisation in Ireland less pleasant to deal with then the IFA I’d be very surprised.
Eircom
Vodafone
Irish water
3
Airport security
Bord Gais
To name but a few..
Quiet Goer, I have experience dealing with most of those organisations and yet the only group to have violent protests and indulge in threatening behaviour was the IFA.
really, only the IFA? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu42hhXCLUs
You’d have to go a long way to deal with a more ruthless shower of snake oil salesmen than IWEA.. (wind lobby)
Great job..great remuneration…the winner will never have to work again.
Up ‘The fields of Athenry’ . Good man Joe Healy.
Never do something with ethics when you can screw the system!
Elizabeth, thank you for this most interesting comment. We are revered that you chose this thread to share the light with us.
Is there any chance your exiled prince sibling could send us the few bob without us having to do anything about it ? No.. Oh well. JOG ON HONEY
Best of luck to joe, he will represent the dairy farmers well, his enterprise been dairy.. The farmers that voted for joe were sick of the goings on in the I.F.A.
Ireland should not have to import potatoes. Using state-of-the-art glasshouses and polytunnels on a Dutch scale Irish farmers could be exporting fresh vegetables from Alaska to North Korea. The new farm leader should note that the future of Irish farming is under glass – and the Supreme Leader of North Korea is named Kim Jong-un.
Under water more like, with the continuous shyte prices for farm produce in the marketplace.
Correct. I lived in NL. impressive/intense farming. Lamps glowing all night. Highly productive.
The President of Djibouti has asked me to convey his fecilitatioms to the new President. Presidents stick together.
He recommends that the new President does not operate a Facebook account out of solidarity.
75,000 farmers and their family’s milking the country dry but it’s the fella that does the odd day while on the dole that is the sc.mbag
What did you eat today and where do you think it came from
How are they milking the country exactly?
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