The chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) National Sheep Committee, Kevin Comiskey, has announced that he will not be contesting the upcoming election for the new IFA president.
The sheep and suckler farmer made the announcement at a meeting of the Leitrim IFA county executive last night (Monday, July 4).
Comiskey said that the decision was made after “careful consideration” with his family, friends and IFA colleagues over the past week.
Comiskey
The IFA Sheep chair said he was “very humbled and honoured” by the level of support he has received from members of the association across the country in recent days.
“I feel at this moment it would be a distraction of my duties as chairman of the sheep committee.
“The sheep sector is at a critical point at the moment, seeing downward pressure on lamb price and I have to put 100% effort into ensuring the factories, retailers and processors reflect a better margin for farmers,” he told the meeting.
Comiskey added that it is “vital” that he focuses on lobbying Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue and the government as “very important budgetary decisions” are made in the coming weeks.
He also said that he wanted to continue his involvement with community and local committees.
“One thing I have learned in the past 10 days, is that there is a huge hunger out there from full-time low-income farmers and part-time farmers who have to work outside the farm to support their families for someone to represent them at the top level of IFA.
“I will continue to bring this message, especially to those candidates who will be entering the race for the next president,” the IFA Sheep chair said.
Last month, the IFA presidential election officially kicked off with two candidates declaring.
Francie Gorman, the IFA South Leinster Regional chair, and Martin Stapleton, the IFA National Treasurer/Returning Officer, are both bidding to replace Tim Cullinan later this year.
Connacht IFA chair, Pat Murphy and Alice Doyle, the IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Committee chair, are currently the only two candidates who have declared in the election for deputy president.