Three to contest IFA presidency
Ruaidhri Deasy, Aglish, Co Tipperary, current deputy president; Raymond O’Malley, Ardee, Co Louth, vice-president, and Padraig Walshe, Durrow, Co Laois, treasurer, were the anticipated candidates when nominations closed at the weekend.
National Returning Officer Seamus O’Brien confirmed that each candidate received the required nominations, which under new rules, is the endorsement of their own county executive and five other county chairmen.
The candidates will undertake a series of debates around the country during November, giving members the opportunity to hear what each has to offer.
Branch voting at 946 centres begins on December 1 and continues until December 16. The national count will be held in Dublin on December 20. A weighted branch voting system will operate for the first time to reflect turnout by branch members. The new president will take over from John Dillon at the IFA annual general meeting which takes place on January 17.
Ruaidhri Deasy has the backing of the chairmen from Tipperary South, Waterford, Offaly, Leitrim and Sligo. Padraig Walshe has the support of the chairmen from Donegal, Roscommon, Longford, Clare and Wicklow while Raymond O’Malley has been nominated by the chairmen from Monaghan, Cavan, Meath, Westmeath and Wexford.
In the contest for deputy president, the current Munster vice- president, Donal Kelly from West Cork, and the former livestock committee chairman and current Carlow national council representative, Derek Deane, have been nominated.
Launching his presidency campaign in Abbeyleix last night Padraig Walshe said an obsession with regulations and lack of opportunity to expand is turning bright young people off a career in farming.
In a weekend statement, Raymond O’Malley said a successful IFA will play a pivotal role in uniting the farming and processing sectors in a crusade to link farm prices to what the consumer is paying.
Ruaidhri Deasy told a recent rally he wants to promote farming and make it an attractive career once more by demanding reasonable incomes and streamlining the bureaucracy that continues to grow and stifle progress.
