The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has formally announced that nominations for the organisation’s elections can now be made.
The nomination process will close on September 12, at 12:00p.m.
IFA national returning officer and current deputy president Brian Rushe said today (Tuesday, August 15) that the nomination process is underway for the positions of president, deputy president, and three of the four regional chairperson positions.
Candidates running for president and deputy president require a nomination from their own County Executive and five other county chairpeople. Candidates running for regional chairperson require a nomination from their own County Executive.
Rushe said: “All our branch officers, county officers and national officers are elected by farmers. The president and deputy president of IFA are elected directly by members. The opening of nominations is the beginning of that process.
“In an era where we have lots of individuals and new groupings claiming to speak for farmers, and others claiming to know the minds of farmers, having a transparent and fully democratic process was never more important,” Rushe added.
Election debates will take place throughout October, with voting beginning in November. The national count will take place in December.
The IFA said that a schedule of meetings and the voting timetable will be finalised shortly.
As announced by the IFA earlier in the year, the voting process for president and deputy president will be a hybrid model.
Each member will receive their ballot papers in the post. They will have the option of bringing their ballot to their branch annual general meeting (AGM) or returning it by post.
According to Rushe, this system has been put in place in order to make it “as convenient as possible” for members to use their vote.
Another change will see the president, deputy president, and regional chairpeople elected for a maximum of one four-year term, as opposed to the current two two-year terms.
Those elected will take up their positions at the 2024 IFA annual general meeting (AGM) early next year.
Rushe, and current national president Tim Cullinan, will conclude their terms of office at that time.