IFA President Eddie Downey to “step back” from role

It comes after the IFA announced that its President Eddie Downey was stepping back from his role of IFA President, just days after its General Secretary Pat Smith resigned ahead of his pay packet being revealed.

“What I believe is important is salaries for individuals who are leading organisations that are in the public eye, that those salaries and packages be in the public knowledge and they are made available for people to see”.

The association’s deputy president Tim O’Leary will take over Downey’s responsibilities in the interim.

“We had to make some serious decisions here to get this off the agenda”, he said.

Mr Downey said he wished to give Mr Lucey and the association the time and space to thoroughly review the situation in relation to pay and would step back during the review. These figures are under review.

He said IFA members had expected “significant and prompt action to correct mistakes made” in order to rebuild the association.

Mr O’Leary said: “Con Lucey will carry out a comprehensive review to address any inadequacies in our structures, and will come back to Executive Council with recommendations”.

He said farmers would now demand full transparency and had a right to know how their money would be spent.

The Teagasc Director’s fee to IFA is €11,970, which the Deputy President receives.

It follows a call by the Eyrecourt Branch of the IFA on Friday for President Eddie Downey and Treasurer Jer Bergin to resign from their positions over the scandal.

Mr O’Leary said that any settlement with Mr Smith will be published by the IFA.

Mr Downey confirmed that the executive council of the organisation had established a strengthened remuneration committee “in line with best corporate governance practice”.