A meeting of the Kerry county executive of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) was brought to a premature end in Tralee last night (Monday, January 16).
The meeting, which was held at the Manor West Hotel, began with a presentation from representatives of Ifac that focused on farm finance and business planning.
Following this, the agenda proceeded with the Kerry IFA chair Kenny Jones seeking a proposer and seconder for the minutes of the previous county executive meeting.
However, tensions rose when discrepancies in relation to the content of the minutes were raised from the floor.
The method of awarding of an honorary membership at the upcoming Kerry IFA Annual General Meeting (AGM) also came in for discussion.
Under the rules of the IFA, the county AGM needs to be held before April 1.
Meeting
It was at this point that Kerry IFA chair Kenny Jones decided to suspend the meeting.
The gathering ended without agreement on the previous minutes and the remainder of the agenda did not proceed.
This included the announcement of nominees to contest elections to fill the vacant commodity chairs positions on the Kerry IFA dairy, sheep and environment committees.
A motion of no confidence in the Kerry IFA chair was also set to be brought forward by several branches in the county.
It is understood that the intention was to have this motion included on the agenda for the next county executive meeting when a vote would take place.
It is not yet clear when the next Kerry IFA meeting will be scheduled for, with Kenny Jones telling Agriland that he is “firming up how to proceed”.
Agriland has contacted IFA headquarters for comment.
Complaint
Relations have been strained in Kerry IFA in recent months, with calls for mediation to take place coming from some members.
Last July, Kenny Jones made a formal complaint to IFA headquarters mainly related to messages posted in the Kerry IFA messaging groups, and to messages sent directly to the Kerry chair.
Several members of the Kerry county executive were contacted by IFA headquarters in relation to the complaint.
This included then Kerry IFA vice-chair and Sheep chair John Joe Fitzgerald and Kerry IFA Dairy chair Michael O’Dowd.
In August, Fitzgerald resigned from his position and left the farming organisation entirely. He has always denied any wrongdoing.
In October, IFA National Council voted to approve a recommendation from the association’s National Rules, Privileges and Procedures Committee to ban O’Dowd from holding an officer role in the association for four years.
As part of its enquiry the IFA employed consultant Gerard Dollard to carry out an independent investigation.
O’Dowd, who said that he never met Dollard, does not accept the decision of the national council or the manner in which the complaint was dealt with by the IFA. The Castlemaine farmer can appeal this sanction after two years.