The 17th president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has been confirmed today (Tuesday, December 12) as suckler beef and sheep farmer from Co.Laois, Francie Gorman.
The current South Leinster Regional chair beat rival Martin Stapleton votes to win the presidential race for one of the country’s largest farming organisations, a result that was mooted earlier today in Agriland’s ad hoc poll of readers.
Total ballots cast were 29,993 and the total valid poll was 29,905 votes.
Francie Gorman received 16,699 votes.
He was surrounded by his wife, Kay and son Tom (aged nine) and exuberant campaign team as the election result was declared.
Gorman who is from Ballinakill, Co. Laois will take over as president of the IFA from Tim Cullinan in January, 2024.
Alice Doyle was also named as the new deputy president of the IFA after 30,000 votes were counted today in Co. Dublin.
Election count
The national election count began today (Wednesday, December, 13) at a hotel in west Dublin at 8.30a.m and concluded at approximately 5:00p.m.
A total of 29,993 IFA members voted in the 2023 elections, up considerably from the 22,998 votes that were cast by members in the last national elections in 2019.
Gorman’s presidential campaign had centered around his promise to deliver for farmers by “developing and driving” policy by focusing on increasing farm income and “securing a future for the next generation of farmers”.
He had repeatedly highlighted during his campaign that Irish farming has a very positive story to tell, but “it’s not getting through in the media”.
Gorman told Agriland during his presidential election campaign:
The IFA must take some responsibility for this as over the years it has relinquished its once proudly held status as a powerful, leading voice for farmers.
“Strong leadership and unity amongst members are key to strengthening our negotiating position, as well as our ability to develop and drive policy focusing on increasing farm income and securing a future for the next generation of farmers.”
The Co. Laois farmer has made no secret of the fact that he believes environmentalists ignore the important role farmers “play in food production and protecting the environment”.
He has been repeatedly critical of what he has described as the “incessant and unfair vilification” of farmers by environmentalists.
Gorman’s win could be set to deliver a shake up for the IFA.
He is on the record for his views about the IFA’s headquarters, the Farm Centre in Bluebell, Dublin and why there needs to a discussion around the future role it will play.
“I would always like to see a presence in Dublin, it’s our capital city and we represent every parish, every corner of the country, but I think the Farm Centre, we will have to look at how that’s going to play a part in the association going forward,” he previously stated.