Francis Foley has confirmed to Agriland that he is withdrawing from the election to become the next Munster regional chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).
The Kerry suckler and sheep farmer, who also has forestry, said that he was taking the decision on health grounds.
Foley had been due to take part in the first hustings in the Munster regional chair contest alongside Mark Connors from Co. Waterford and Conor O’Leary from Co. Cork in Tipperary last night (Monday, October 16).
However, he sent his apologies to the Tipperary South IFA chair Pat Carroll stating that he was unable to attend the debate in Cahir.
“I thank everybody who nominated me in Kerry but I just feel I’m not able to do this, health wise it’s not good for me. The stress of it has just got the better of me,” Foley told Agriland.
He is due to inform IFA headquarters of his decision later today.
The second of the nine hustings in the Munster IFA regional chair election contest takes place in Corrin Mart, Fermoy, Co. Cork tomorrow night (Wednesday, October 18).
IFA
The Kerry farmer said that he would have sought a “total overhaul of the association”, as he believes that the IFA is not representing the suckler, sheep and forestry sectors.
“I feel that the IFA has lost its way a bit. They seem to be more interested in keeping the power at the top rather than getting into the grassroots; we’ll say the branches, giving them more say. The organisation is top heavy,” he said.
“There’s a share of things that I really wanted to get out there. I’ve suckler, sheep and forestry and I feel those sectors are left totally behind. Really what my campaign was going to be was that I was a forgotten farmer,” he added.
Foley said he was disappointed to withdraw from the race but felt it was the best option for him.
“The stress was starting to get the better of me; yesterday it was like a tonne of bricks on top of my head, that’s what it felt like. I knew myself I just wasn’t able.
“Last year, my health went downhill, I got Bell’s Palsy out of the stress and I feel it is picking at me again. The stress of it seems to have got me,” he said.
Kerry
Francis Foley was among three members of the Kerry county executive who were the subject of a formal complaint by Kerry IFA chair Kenny Jones last summer.
The complaint related mainly to messages posted in the Kerry IFA messaging groups, and to messages sent directly to Jones.
Following the complaint, former Kerry vice-chair and sheep chair, John Joe Fitzgerald left the IFA entirely, while the county dairy chair, Michael O’Dowd was banned by IFA National Council from holding an officer position for four years.
Both Fitzgerald and O’Dowd denied any wrongdoing.
An investigation into the complaint was undertaken by consultant Gerard Dollard, who was appointed by IFA headquarters.
Foley did not participate in the investigation due to ill-health. He also believes that an ombudsman should be appointed for all farm organisations to deal with complaints.
Mediator
The issue has caused a deep division within Kerry IFA and has also impacted the workings of the association in the county.
Foley has again called on IFA headquarters to appoint an independent mediator to resolve the ongoing issues with the Kerry IFA county executive.
He has claimed that there has been a “lack of respect” shown to him and other Kerry IFA county officers from IFA headquarters.
“We want it sorted, as we see Kerry county is toxic the way things have gone. We want things back working for farmers and ourselves and for everything. That’s what we want, this arguing isn’t good for nobody,” he said.
“We need someone to come in and mediate; they are professionals at this and they could see a way forward. We don’t want farmer against farmer, that’s not good for nobody.
“This hasn’t been good for anybody to be honest. I found myself, the toll it took on my health last year was desperate and I’m still suffering from it,” he said.