Court injunction halts removal of senior figure within the ICSA

A temporary High Court injunction against the ICSA has reportedly put a halt to the removal of a senior figure within the organisation.

It was recently reported that the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association had put plans in motion to remove James Reynolds from his executive position in the organisation’s Longford branch.

It is believed that this move by the ICSA would also result in him losing his position as National Treasurer within the farm lobbying group.

The alleged reason behind the ICSA’s decision was Reynold’s links to ‘The National Party’. Reynolds is the Deputy President of that newly-formed political party.

Among its core principles, ‘The National Party’ states that it is opposed to unrestricted immigration and any law permitting the provision of abortion in Ireland.

With regards to the criminal justice system, ‘The National Party’ also believes the restoration of the death penalty should be considered for ‘particularly heinous crimes’.

Reynolds, a previous IFA Longford County Chairman, has been involved with the ICSA for a number of years; he was elected to his current role, which is unpaid, of National Treasurer for a two-year term early in 2016.

The Co. Longford farmer took up his role with the newly-formed political party – ‘The National Party’ – since being elected as the National Treasurer of the ICSA.

It is believed that the ICSA has a policy in place which restricts anyone holding a national role in the organisation from also being a spokesperson for another ‘political’ entity.

Reynolds is reportedly concerned that his reputation could be damaged if he is removed from his role. The ICSA has refrained from commenting on the situation thus far.

With around nine months left in Reynold’s term of office, a source within the organisation believes the situation could have been handled internally in a more “efficient” manner.