Changes announced to key personnel at ICOS and Agri Aware

PERSONNEL changes in two key bodies working in the agricultural sector have been announced.

The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society, the co-ops national umbrella body, yesterday appointed Conor Mulvihill as its European affairs executive based in its Brussels office.

And the agri-food educational body, Agri Aware, announced that Roscommon farmer Bernard Donohue has been elected its chairman.

Mr Mulvihill, a native of Bruff, Co Limerick, is from a farming background. He replaces Carol McGinley, who is taking up a role with the Financial Services Authority in London after more than five years with ICOS in Brussels.

He is an experienced public affairs specialist having served to date as a parliamentary assistant in the Oireachtas.

Mr Mulvihill participated in the National Forum on Europe for five years.

ICOS director general, John Tyrrell, welcoming Conor Mulvihill, said the society through the Brussels office, has direct access to key decision and policy makers.

“This is a crucial communications channel for the Irish co-op sector. The role of our European Affairs executive is very important at this time of policy changes. It is essential to have a strong intelligence gathering, information monitoring and representation capability in Europe and Conor Mulvihill will continue to spearhead and develop this requirement in the years ahead.”

Mr Tyrrell also paid tribute to Ms McGinley on having made an excellent contribution to the work of ICOS.

Meanwhile, Bernard Donohue, Agri Aware’s new chairman in succession to Mairead Lavery, said his chief aim is to highlight the role of primary producers in the Irish food supply chain.

Another ambition is to see the development of an independent agricultural economic voice to comment on the industry.

He said Ms Lavery was an excellent chairman. Her commitment and passion to communicate the value of the agri-food sector was an inspiration.

A former IFA county chairman, Bernard, his wife Mary and three young sons run a beef farm in Co Roscommon.