Joe Healy is set to stay on as the President of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), having returned unopposed in the IFA elections.

Being the only nominee when the nominations closed for the position of president, Healy will begin his second term in January 2018.

The dairy farmer from Co. Galway was first elected into the role in April 2016, becoming the 15th President of the IFA in the process.

Healy’s reappointment comes as the IFA’s National Returning Officer, Jer Bergin, announced that nominations have closed for the positions of president, deputy president and regional chairmen – for which elections take place every two years.

The IFA’s Deputy President, Richard Kennedy, was also returned unopposed following the announcement.

Meanwhile, former Chairman of Wicklow IFA, Tom Short, was nominated unchallenged for the position of the IFA’s South Leinster Regional Chairman.

He is set to succeed James Murphy, who will complete his second term at the January 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Both the IFA’s Munster Regional Chairman, John Coughlan, and the organisation’s Connacht Regional Chairman, Padraic Joyce, were nominated and returned unopposed.

Ulster / North Leinster

However, there are two nominees for the position of the IFA’s Ulster / North Leinster Chairman.

This position will be contested by the IFA’s current Poultry Chairman, Nigel Renaghan, and the Cavan IFA Chairman, James Speares.

The two candidates will contest the regional chairman election in ballots at the seven county executives in Ulster/ North Leinster region in November and December, with the count taking place in the December, the IFA confirmed.

The successful candidate will succeed the outgoing Ulster / North Leinster Chairman, Bert Stewart.

The IFA Executive Council has also passed a rule change whereby votes of the branch delegates at the county executive meetings will be weighted according to the membership of that branch, replacing the link to turnout in the presidential election.

Eight to 25 such members constitute one vote and every additional 25 such members, or part thereof, constitute one additional identical vote.