VIDEO: The IFA needs ‘a new clean board to start from scratch’ say farmers at Skibbereen Mart

“Pure blaggarding,” said one man. “It’s a bit of a joke,” offered another. And for once, they weren’t talking about the price of cattle.

Farmers at Skibbereen Mart in Co Cork yesterday were not short of opinions on the unholy mess that has engulfed the Irish Farmers’ Association over the past few weeks, and there were different views as to how, ultimately, it will all pan out.

As weanlings and calves were unloaded for sale, more than one conversation was overheard along the lines of “so what about the IFA?” Members and non-members of the organisation were discussing the fallout from an imbroglio that has put farming on the front pages for the wrong reasons.

The Cork West branch of the IFA tabled a motion at this week’s emergency national meeting calling for the entire executive board to go. That motion is still open, even after the departure of president Eddie Downey, and Con Hurley from Clonakilty said the West Cork motion was “probably right —the whole lot to go”.

Eddie Downey

He worked out that at one stage, former secretary general Pat Smith could have been receiving around €1,500 a day. Nevertheless, he said of the IFA: “Still, they have a lot done as an organisation for the farmers.” He added that what was needed was “a small bit more transparency”.

Card-carrying IFA member Declan O’Donovan from Castlehaven only joined the organisation last year. He outlined the benefits, such as cheaper car insurance and mobile phone bills, but he believes the IFA now needs “a new clean board to start from scratch”, he continued. The central point is how the IFA became embroiled in such a farrago in the first place — “I can’t follow how it went on for so long,” Declan said. He added that he knew of two people who had cancelled their IFA membership over the controversy while he said he’d consider opting out of the €2 levy which goes to the organisation from livestock sales.

Vincent Houlihan from Drinagh struck on one key theme when he suggested a widening gap in the country between the larger, typically dairy, farmer and the smaller farmer. The IFA, rightly or wrongly, is viewed by some as having placed more emphasis on the larger producers in recent times, at the expense of the majority of members. Asked if he had considered scrapping his membership in the past two weeks, Vincent said: “I thought of it but I thought I would hold on.” He has confidence in Tim O’Leary but also suggested a whole new look at top level might also be required. And as for the details of the severance package for Pat Smith, he said: “There is going to be a lot of law and solicitors. A contract was signed with that man but then, it’s up to law.”

Pat Smith

Up in the restaurant, where people were grabbing a late breakfast, early lunch or just a cup of tea before the action began in the sales ring, Jerry O’Mahony from Carrigfada echoed the views of many, querying the scale of the salaries in years when many farmers were experiencing a crisis. “There was a lot of animals lost in the fodder crisis and human lives lost as well,” he said. He isn’t a member of the IFA but has always paid the €2 levy. Like many, he’s now querying where that money might have been going.

Certainly, this situation has done nothing to promote the role of farming and food production in the eyes of the general public — something that should not be overlooked at a time when the sector has a few longstanding problems to contend with. The era of the small farmer appears to be over; the vast majority of those at Skibbereen have seen many campaigns. Issues of farm family succession and the longer-term vitality of farming as a key part of rural Ireland have, temporarily at least, been overtaken by stories concerning mega-salaries and boardroom battles. Farmers are sometimes accused of playing the “poor mouth”, yet the current row does not reflect the lot of many farmers around the country. It’s a sector where, while everyone knows the worth of a euro, signs remain the sales rings, “Euro Livestock Converters”. €1 = 79p.

An election for president, a row over severance that threatens to run on, the small job of getting a new secretary general on board and sweeping reforms — all that to contend with, on top of the daily challenges. The “joke” is more “funny peculiar” than “funny ha ha”.

‘Grass roots members are not happy’