There has been no notable uptake from staff at the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) for its voluntary early retirement scheme, AgriLand understands.

The scheme, which opened in February of this year, closed for applications last month. It is, as yet, unclear where the scheme will go from here, sources say.

It is understood that the package on the table offered a total of three weeks’ pay for every year of service within the farm lobby group – with a minimum tenure set at one and a half years.

The move emerged at a time when the organisation – which has approximately 72,000 members – appears to be positioning itself for a number of reforms in a bid to balance and sustain the association’s finances and membership going forward.

The IFA has declined to comment on the matter.

Top 15 staff

According to the IFA’s latest financial accounts for the year ended March 31, 2019, the association recorded a deficit for the year at €933,307.

Its income for 2019 was reported at €15,990,214; total expenditure for the 12-month period was recorded as €16,231,899.

An analysis of the group’s expenditure shows that total staff costs amounted to €5,349,625.

Meanwhile, the IFA’s most recent financial report also states that the average remuneration for the top 15 staff after the executive management was: €99,047 (salary); plus €23,327 (employer pension contribution).

Total staff costs for 2019 – across the IFA – were €5,349,625.