Owners must keep eyes on the ball

AS the newly elected directors of Dairygold begin to assess the job that lies ahead of them, the state of affairs that led to the Co-op's controversial annual general meeting at Mallow has been described as a "wake-up" call by one shareholder.

Liam O'Flynn, a Glanworth, Co Cork farmer and shareholder, said last week that members were not alert to the composition of the board, and this was the root of the troubles that led to the Mallow meeting.

"If farmers take their eye off the ball and vote people onto the board who don't deserve to be on it, it's their own co-op that is going to suffer, as we know only too well," he said.