New IFA committee chairs elected as national AGM takes place this week
John Curran from Kells in Co Meath succeeds Michael Biggins who has completed his four-year term.
The Irish Farmers' Association has a new national rural development committee chairman.
John Curran from Kells in Co Meath succeeds Michael Biggins who has completed his four-year term.
Mr Curran said that one of his immediate priorities would be ACRES.
"All farmers who applied under tranche two of ACRES must be accommodated. We cannot be limited to 50,000," he said.
"We either want to achieve our environmental targets or we don’t.
"The department also needs to realise that many low-income families, particularly those in vulnerable sectors, rely on agri-environment programmes to survive."
On the broader issue of payments, Mr Curran said there "cannot be a repeat of what happened last year, with unilateral department action and delayed ANC/BISS farm payments, or even no payments at all for the 18,000 plus ACRES co-operation project farmers".
"It’s completely unacceptable and no other sector would accept it," Mr Curran said.
"The same is true with TAMS, which was a complete non-event in 2023. The thousands of farmers around the country who made applications for TAMS last spring have to know where they stand."
Teresa Roche from Co Galway has been elected chairwoman of the IFA's farm family and social affairs committee.
She succeeds Alice Doyle, who was elected IFA deputy president last month.
Ms Roche commented: "We will have a very busy agenda with the range of issues that we cover.
"Initially, my focus will be on services for mental health; pensions for farm families; and encouraging greater involvement of women in farming."
The newly-elected chairs and deputy president and president of the association will take up office on Tuesday at the 69th IFA AGM.
New president Francie Gorman will give his inaugural address, and the event will be addressed also by Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.
