The first votes will be cast by members of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) this evening, Monday, November 25, to elect the organisation’s next president and deputy president.
Voting will take place at each of the IFA’s 944 local branch AGM’s and will be carried out on a ‘one member, one vote’ basis.
The branch AGM’s – and subsequent voting – will run until Friday, December 13, and it is hoped the new president and deputy president will be announced on Tuesday, December 17.
All IFA members are eligible to vote and to find out when your local branch meeting is, click here.
- John Coughlan from the Buttevant branch in North Cork;
- Tim Cullinan from the Toomevara branch in North Tipperary;
- Angus Woods from the Barndarrig branch in Wicklow.
The candidates for IFA deputy president are:
- Thomas Cooney from the Laragh branch in Cavan;
- Brian Rushe from the Carbury/Cadamstown branch in Kildare.
IFA national returning officer Richard Kennedy has encouraged farmers to attend the association’s 944 branch meetings in the 29 county executives and vote for the positions of president and deputy president, saying:
Our presidential election gives every member the same say in choosing the next president of IFA.
“It’s an important exercise in democracy and it affords farmers across all enterprises, and in every part of the country, an equal voice in deciding who is best placed to represent Irish farmers 2020 onwards,” he said.
Among the branches voting on the opening night are: Goleen, West Cork; Aranmore Island, Donegal; Peterswell, Galway; Annascaul, Kerry; Ballyragget, Kilkenny; Walsh Island, Offaly; Knockcroghery, Roscommon; and Boolavogue, Wexford.