Co Laois farmer Francie Gorman elected next IFA president
Laois farmer Francie Gorman, watched by his son Tom and wife Kay, takes to the podium after it was announced he was elected 17th President of the IFA, at their National Election Count in Castleknock tonight. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke
Co Laois suckler beef and sheep farmer Francie Gorman has been elected as the new Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president.
Mr Gorman won with 16,699 votes, beating Co Limerick dairy farmer Martin Stapleton who got 13,210 votes, to secure the top IFA job.
941 branches met in recent weeks to allow members to vote for the next president and deputy president of IFA.
Alice Doyle from Co Wexford and Pat Murphy from Co Galway contested the deputy presidential election.
Ms Doyle was also announced on Tuesday as the successful candidate, with 16,502 votes compared to Mr Murphy's 12,968. She is the first woman to hold the role.
New IFA president Frankie Gorman farms 130 acres in Ballinakill and is married to Kay, with whom he has a son, Tom.
He is the current IFA South Leinster regional chairman.
He has had 25 years of involvement in the IFA, in roles of country secretary, farm business rep, county chair, and his current position with South Leinster.
He told a presidential debate in Cork previously: “I know IFA inside out and I’m acutely aware of all the issues that affect farmers in all sectors.
“It’s my ambition as president of IFA to ensure that we deliver on farm incomes for not just our own families but for our neighbours and friends in all sectors.”
Mr Gorman said in his presidency, he is aiming to “rebuild and strengthen the reputation of IFA as an organisation that influences policymaking, respects and responds to the concerns of all members, and most importantly, delivers for farmers’ income”.
He has also committed to bringing forward a new communications plan to the association.
Mr Gorman said he would fight to “not allow policies that negatively impact on farm income to be bulldozed down on top of farmers”.
“Farm income is the key challenge, too many farmers are struggling financially,” he said.
“Recent policy changes that have a devastating effect on farm income – the nitrates derogation – have to be challenged and no policy should be put in place that negatively impacts on farm income.”
He said farmers “have to be rewarded for the environmental ambition that they’re expected to deliver”.
“I’m proposing that we have a new environmental scheme with a payment of €15,000 open to all farmers, including organic farmers,” Mr Gorman said.
He will take up office in January, replacing Tim Cullinan.
Mr Gorman's competitor Martin Stapleton, while falling short overall, won the majority of votes in every county in Munster, the dairy farmer stronghold. Mr Gorman took the lead in every other county.
Mr Stapleton himself is farming around 160 dairy cows on his enterprise in Oola, Co Limerick.
He is the current national treasurer and returning officer of the IFA, and previously held the role of farm business committee chairman.
