IFA officers under fire on food policy
After a non-Féile Bia registered Co Kerry hotel was booked for an IFA meeting of beef farmers two months ago, Ruardhi Deasy, Deputy President, IFA, and Donal Kelly, Munster Vice-President, said there was no intention to flout IFA’s policy to support Féile Bia registered premises.
This explanation was accepted last week by the Limerick IFA Executive. The two senior officers told the Executive meeting they booked the hotel in good faith, having been assured by the proprietor of his support for Irish food. Donal Kelly explained the hotel had been purchased some weeks previously by local farmers who are members of IFA, who assured him the hotel was signing up to the Féile Bia scheme.
Ruaidhri Deasy said that he supported the decision to hold the meeting there because of the promise to join the Féile Bia scheme. “I would do the same again in the morning if we were to get another hotel to sign up”, he said.
But Limerick IFA officer Mary Ita Keane told the meeting the hotel was not yet registered under the scheme. She said an application had been received by Bord Bia from the hotel for registration, but certification of the food supply sources was not yet complete.
Eddie Scanlan, a member of the IFA National Livestock Committee, said, “Beef producers are on their knees, and fighting for a price for cattle, and this organisation cannot be seen to promote anything other than the use of Irish produced food”.
Limerick IFA Chairman, Michael O’Flynn, closed the discussion, saying, “It is over now and that is the end of the matter, but under no circumstances should it ever happen again.”
