Two candidates vie for Macra presidency at today’s election

A chemical engineer from Carrigane, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, and a barrister from Gurteen, Ballymore, Co Sligo, are the candidates at today’s election to select the next Macra na Feirme president.

The election to decide who will succeed Alan Jagoe, whose two-year term of office will expire next month, takes place at the Irish Farm Centre in Dublin at around 1.30pm today.

A result is expected in the late afternoon. The successful candidate will take up duty at Macra’s AGM on May 11.

The candidates, Aisling Lewis, a chemical engineer with Procter & Gamble, and Kieran O’Dowd, a barrister practising on the Midland Circuit, have held various positions in Macra.

Each of the candidates addressed members at hustings around the country in recent weeks during which they outlined their plans for the future of the organisation.