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The candidates for president and deputy president had their third hustings of the week tonight in Letterkenny, with two more to go on Thursday and Friday in the busiest week of the campaign.
All candidates delivered their set pieces passionately as we would expect at this stage. Once the questions started, it was again the familiar mix of local and national issues. IFA governance kicked off the debate with the candidates competing in promising openness and transparency with complete reform and rebuilding the organisation from the bottom up.
All candidates were asked to declare no party political ambitions, which they did, promising to go back farming whether after two terms or at the end of the campaign if not elected.
Protests from the floor were strong on the Bord Bia QA scheme inspections and the power of meat plants and supermarkets. All candidates agreed on the need to encourage live exports as an alternative. Each candidate consistently referenced their experience, gained in different ways but extending in all cases to over twenty years.
Forestry and hill farming were the more local issues that generated passionate debate from the floor. There were several opinions on how to reenergise the organisation but there was general consensus in the room that a strong association was worth rebuilding.
Read back over the evening's debates with our archived live blog below.
11.28pm
Joe says it is an extraordinary election and the future of the organisation depends on it. We do much good but we have seen bad and we must make changes. We need to accept we have a problem before we can do something about it. He charts his experience across various areas and beyond the farm centre over 25 years.
11.25pm
Henry now says it is a unique election. He says he started the sheep campaign at grass roots level and these experiences stand in good stead. He adds experience means he will hit the ground running and any time asked he came to Donegal and is now asking for their vote.
11.23pm
Summing up time!
Flor goes first. He says he is delighted to be in Donegal and highlights again how much he has in common with it. He references his experience at national and county level. He says he knows how to deliver.
11.20pm
Henry says we need open discussion about where we are going. The team has to believe the lad in the front row can hold up the scrum. We need to build and lead the team, and may have been let down. We need to rebuild but he will guarantee that everyone must keep up with him. As for schemes, a new Government is coming in and we need to get extra national funding. We give good value for Government money with all the exports and and jobs.
Henry is getting passionate. He recognises injustices in old-young farmer issue and will tackle it.
He says that he knew the QA scheme was a problem before the election and he and the former president got the Bord Bia review that is ongoing. He is not satisfied and not signing off. He promises to stand strong on QA.
11.17pm
The internet connection dropped and Flor's answers to the latest questions have been lost! Apologies Flor.
11.07pm
Joe Healy answers first and accepts that there is discrimination against "old" young farmers for a small percentage of the overall package. They deserve and need support, Joe says this is not just a case of wanting to support them.
His view on Bord Bia is that it is the issue that causes most anger around the country. He tells the story of the potato farmer in Dublin failing the audit for a bottle of water story. Inspections make farmers feel guilty until proven innocent and that takes too long as the four months illustrate. He accepts the need for good standards, but new inspectors feel the need to fail a number of inspections. He promises to discuss and deliver a farmer-friendly scheme.
Joe says there are examples of being sucked in by the staff but he won't be if he has the numbers on his side.
He adds ANC payments need to be restored to 2008 levels.
11.03pm
Next set of questions:
John Gibbons again - the Bord Bia scheme comes up for not having a uniform inspection scheme. He says it took a top farmer four months to get the inspection sorted. Bord Bia must be tackled. John Gibbons expresses disappointment in Flor's committee.
Brendan Mc Laughlin asks would candidates get sucked in by headquarters. He adds ther is a total cartel between factories, IFA and the Department.
David Boyd from the Rosses highlights the problem with old young farmers.
10.54pm
Joe Healy says forestry is a divisive issue as it suits some people but young farmers say it is pricing them out. Will have to be dealt with more seriously by IFA.
On insurance Joe says the average whiplash payment in Ireland is €15,000 whereas it is €5,000 in the UK, and in Europe it is only physio that is paid for. On supermarkets, Joe says that the twenty richest farmers in the country associated with farming saw their wealth increased by 32%. He says nearly every factory family is on the rich list with one in particular increasing from 700m to 780m. The figure matches the recent description of Larry Goodman's fortune by the Sunday Independent. Joe wants a fair share of income.
10.50pm
Flor says supermarkets must be dealt with by legislation because we are paying for free give-aways. Lidl and Aldi are highlighted. Factories also need to be taken on. As for insurance he says it is a major concern, he wants to stay with FBD but is concerned by FBD losses and the need to bring in outside money. Farmers are rightly asking questions and he mentions the cost of insuring young drivers from his own experience.
He says Kerry has the same problem with forestry, a real issue that has to be dealt with. IFA have been active but need to be more active.
10.46pm
Henry says we got a result on New Zealand lamb after two years. He says he learned we can achieve and highlighted vegetable growers were uncomfortable protesting as they feared bullying. Not so in milk and meat because they are exported. The is overcapacity in retail and he highlights track record in protesting at supermarkets.
Turning to insurance, he brings up the wrong turns of FBD, the company that had served farmers well. The damage is reflected in premiums and he is not happy with being asked for a bailout through excessive premiums. On forestry, we need to spend some money on getting scientific knowledge to match fire with fire.
10.43pm
The chair asks for concise questions. Charlie Doherty from Newtowncunningham asks: Will candidates get more active in tackling supermarkets and factory owners? He is referring to the rich list published recently.
John Jackson says unity has been hit and strength weakened. He asks will IFA tackle insurance premiums and whiplash claims. He turns to forestry and says a weakness in IFA is that we don't have the scientific knowledge to challenge the Department to resist forestry.
10.39pm
Henry says that he started drawing cattle to Waterford. Every animal is a struggle now because there are no longer any export refunds. That makes it difficult, we are chasing it and agitating for it even if politicians are saying no. We have the Egyptians in, three boats are passed. The good thing is that the Egyptian deal would be a government deal and money would be secure. Live exports are strong on my agenda, it is difficult to collect money in North Africa, Egypt has stability. The most efficient way to get dairy cattle out is as calves. Cork martsa re doing their best.
We can never say store cattle is too dear, but for wahtever reason most of our weanlings are dearer than most other areas of Europe at present. Turkey is a good market and an area we could do a lot more in. The French are succeeding. We have made prices progress over time. Turkey and Russia drove that, we need something like that. As beef chairman in Brussels Henry says he was bringing ideas to the Commission. The French are pulling their hair out, they blocked motorways but got nothing on the price of beef. We need action that brings results, we need real markets.
England is a problem, the NFU lobbies against us, they are wrong as we could give their feeders more access. Supermarkets joined with the factories are against us. Henry promises he will try everything.
He says he took the roasting in 2014 himself. The livestock committee has some great young farmers, no stone is being left unturned. Minster Coveney hasn't done enough. The reconsiderations of the Forum are OK but Minster Coveney walked away. The president of IFA has to stay negotiating for all the interests, he can't walk away on one issue. We have to hold the Minister to account. As for young people, Henry says we have to make IFA more relevant to them.
10.29pm
Flor takes the mike: Three people are controlling the beef industry, there is a cartel. Maybe we were a fitter organisation years ago and maybe this election will bring us back there. It is unsustainable for finishers to take €3.60-70 for heavy cattle.
Branches and structures will thrive if young people feel they can make a difference. We must have an active discussion, we need young people with enthusiasm and we will only get them if they feel they can have a say up in Dublin. The next President needs these people and that is why we are here.
Staff is a complicated issues that will have to be faced. We could be facing an income crisis we don't know. Staff will have to reform and move to a new regime.
10.23pm
Joe answers first. He says his speech highlighted the problem with beef price and difference with Britain. Only 11.8% of cattle are over 420 kgs. Kill iswell in excess of 30,000, which gives farmers poor negotiating power. The problem is live exports, very disappointing that they fell last year by 25%. Also farmers in NI can do it because of labelling issues. We can sell our weanlings across Europe but a few miles from here they cannot get on to the second shelf.
We had a Forum but Joe is not happy there was enough pressure put on there. The best the minister could come up with before Christmas was producer organisations, and we accepted that.
The best competition for factories is live exports and we have to make sure they do what they have to do to make it happen. It all comes back to the kill per week. It is wrong that we are willing to accept the present base payment. The grid has to be reviewed. The architect (Michael Drennan) has highlighted that the gap between the grades isn't correct (in an exclusive interview with the
As for grass roots, he accepts the need to reinvigorate branch structure and meet four times per year. County executives should be no more than two hours, not all night on one topic. One or two people cannot be dictating all night. The needs to be better internal communication, HQ needs to acknowledge receipt of motions. As for staff, there is a feeling some staff members are too cosy and not hungry enough. Maybe a rolling contract is the way for the new chief executive.
10.20pm
Robert Carey from Tremone asks: What will you do to get the grass roots back? We need vibrant branches again. Also what are the candidates going to do about staff wages? Bring in new staff that will listen to grass roots. We don't want more lies.
10.17pm
More questions: John Gibbons highlights the importance of live exports of plain cattle in mid-1990s. We now have extra calves and pressure with cattle prices. IFA has allowed the minister to run rings around the beef forum for two years. He accepts we have boats but teh Department won't license them. He wants to know the role of Larry Goodman and Simon Coveney. He predicts €3/kg for plain cattle and €3.50/kg for good prices. There is also reluctance to protest in Dublin because of public opinion. Don't ask farmers to go to factories in a phoney war, block the motorways into Dublin. What are the candidates going to do about this?
10.08pm
Joe Healy says his very reason for running is the secrecy and croneyism. He recalls a conversation in which it is described as being let down by one's best friend. Information must be easily accessible to all including levies, salaries and all. We have a right to access the information, big and small farmers in every county. Every farmer must be listened to and represented by IFA.
It will be more difficult to base payments on history, he accepts that coupled payments support farmers that are producing.
Joe says there is passion is agriculture in all aspects of his life from farm, to boards, to mart management and working in farming press. He has no interest in party politics: in six weeks, two years or four years, whenever the gig is over, it is back to farming.
10.03pm
Henry Burns agrees with Flor's answer. He says his campaign was not scheduled and he had to be persuaded to run. The people who asked him said they wouldn't be friendly if he didn't pursue openness and transparency. He is giving this guarantee within the constraints of legality.
On the active farmer debate, he says there was failure in Brussels and it is impossible to define as level of activity is dictated by land type. Now a lot of land is being created in all counties where payments are drawn without much being done, and payments are drifting away from farming. The only way to protect future CAP payments is some form of coupled payment as historic references are outdated. He would want money going to people doing the work. We have to find a way to refocus on marginal land.
Henry says he has no interest in politics and it is easy for him to give a guarantee on no political affiliation.
9.55pm
Flor answers first and says we will have to have total transparency. Levies won't go to high wages. On active farmers, peripheral areas are providing public goods so he is committed to that, it is as big an issue in his own county as Donegal. Designations will be watched and he says he understands people's concerns well. He assures he will be going back farming after serving and won't be seeking political office.
9.55pm
Questions now. First up is Brian Marshall - will you guarantee this meeting that if elected it will be the end of secrecy and croneyism in head quarters? Michael Kearns asks will IFA support all farmers, wants to know what an active productive farmer is? Farmers in marginal land are lucky to get a single cut of silage, in other areas three cuts are possible. Also will you not become affiliated to any political party?
9.48pm
Flor McCarthy is up now. He starts with the similarities between Kerry and Donegal (no mention of the hostilities in Sunday's match).
Flor explains his own farm business, emphasising it is a hill farm like Donegal. He says he is a successful farmer, which is necessary to be president of IFA. He mentions the danger of splinters and breakaway groups. He is here to discuss issues that face the organisation for the next sixty years.
He emphasises the public good benefit of farming marginal land, particularly for tourism. As Rural Development chairman he brought not everything he wanted but still got a reasonable deal. The candidate who has managed to name-check Donegal the most in their speech tonight!
Flor adds that TAMS was driven on by his committee. They challenged the department in 2012, TAMS just didn't happen, it was driven on by IFA. A farm investment scheme that can benefit everyone in the room.
Flor acknowledges Donegal Minister, Mary Coughlan as a good minister, though she had plenty of money. He found Simon Coveney difficult and says without Enda Kennedy they would have had a worse Rural Development deal. He highlights selling dairy and beef under the cost of production and references high wages in co-ops.
9.41pm
Henry turns to the Shannon dredging - promised for years but not done yet, but we can't give up. Live shipping is also a priority, but dont have export refunds. He highlights the lack of competition in the beef industry. On farm income, he cannot demand anything but needs to bring teamwork to the organisation and will have unified committees for big and small. He accepts there has been misdirection, but promises to be down on the ground listening and will be informed to bring issues all the way to Brussels.
He highlights he led a group of good men and together they got money for sheep. We don't have everything we want and need in beef, but will keep workingon it - ideas from the ground will get all the way to Dublin or Brussels as the case. After serving as president he will go home and farm as he will if he doesn't win the election.
9.34pm
Henry Burns is second to go. He says he is a proud IFA member, not proud of what has happened. Elections get political and jibes are made but he isn't going there - when this is over we all have to work together and not make promises we may or may not deliver. He will bring openness and honesty in collecting and spending money. Change in the way we listen. He says arrogance crept in and people came to counties and said what policy was.
He highlights that he was here in Donegal many times and nobody would say he dictated. He says there is a risk of failure but he never took the easy option. He references the small protest effort in Carrigans (Foyle Donegal's factory) - but we were there.
Henry says he is taking the cuts on heavy cattle and challenges it every day even if he hasn't got the results he wants. He is supported by the livestock committee he chairs and references Donegal participation from William McMonagle.
9.28pm
Joe accepts global pressure on milk prices but calls on Commissioner Hogan to sort the Russian ban and is disappointed with his unwillingness to increase intervention price. He welcomes Glanbia's forward contract price. Three years of falling prices for tillage farmers gives them worse prices than the 1970's.
c He highlights his leadership of Macra and securing IR£60m for Irish farmers. He claims experience across the board and gets a round of applause.
9.20pm
Joe Healy is first up in the presidential debate. He say he is here because of an unprecedented set of events and the future of the organisation depends on getting it right. For that change has to happen. Trust has to be resorted, change has to ensure transparency. Power should go back to commodity committees and reinvigorated branches. It must be bottom up, not top down.
These changes sit alongside incomes as top priority. He reels off other rural issues as well: the average farm income fell 3% in last year. Joe demands the next minister is for agriculture alone, not shared [applause]. Full payment of BPS is also demanded and ANC to be restored to pre-2008 levels.
Donegal #IFAelections hustings: 200+ in the room, presidential candidates ready. Live blog: https://t.co/WTnb612PuX pic.twitter.com/rWWqcBV9vu
— Farmers Journal (@farmersjournal) March 9, 2016
9.10pm
Deputy candidates are now wrapping up.
9.07pm
Sean Toland from Newtowncunningham: Levies were used to pay the extraordinary wages. He says there is €21m in the banks. Levies is finished as far as he is concerned. IFA should have paid dividend rather than screwing us! The question gets a big round of applaus.
Richard Kennedy hopes IFA is as rich as is said, but he would need just enough to run the organisation as it is hard enough for all farmers. We do need to employ the best people and provide a good service to members. As dairy chairman he got only expenses, 100 euro per day for farm replacement when he was away.
Pat Farrell says any revenue from external boards should go back to IFA. As for levies he says they are dead in the water, we need to take back control of our IFA, it isn't the Farm Centre's IFA. Someone in the business of representing farmers shouldn't be in the business of selling telephones. He says Ulster North Leinster had an an office two and a half years ago, Nigel is taken by surprise! Nigel says he had no problems in the national executive council. He challenges the no confidence issue and gives it a context from his perspective. He says Pat is slating County Chairmen and is dividing farmers. Speaking passionately, he gets some applause.
Pat Farrell in his summing up says he doesn't want to split IFA, just highlighting the facts as he sees them
9.00pm
Michael Kearns Falcarragh highlights problems with Glas.
Nigel Renaghan says he is a farmer in pain, spent €620,000 on the farm, all borrowed. He prays enough will be left when his repayments are made. He had a choice to complain or get more involved in IFA and use it as a tool to improve his income. He urges everyone who feels let down to join and work inside and push people up the chain. IFA needs to get back to getting better prices for farmers.
Pat Farrell references his role last January (2015, motion of no confidence in General Secretary) and takes cut at others who stayed silent. He complains on how he and others were treated that day. Hill farmers concerns will have to be addressed and he will be guided by County Chairmen in Donegal in this case. We have taken our eye of the ball on incomes and they need to be raised.
Richard Kennedy says that the Association must be got back and hill farmers and other disaffected groups got back. They have been driven away he says and says the 2006-10 council that he was on got policies from dairy committee through. As for Farm Assist, it was the outcome of an IFA campaign in late 1990's. He was stunned to hear of problems. As for the GLAS scheme, he isreferring it to presidential candidates.
Lively #IFAelections hustings in Donegal-IFA accused of being "like another political party" https://t.co/FpJvvK2Gv7 pic.twitter.com/U62WWWG64K
— Farmers Journal (@farmersjournal) March 9, 2016
8.45pm
John Gibbons says from the floor that IFA have turned their back on hill farmers. People feel IFA has become like another political party.
8.40pm
Question from George Starrett Finn Valley branch asking about staff wages and requesting that they are published in the local IFA office. PJ McMonagle ex-chairman, adds to the question.
Pat Farrell first to answer. He doesn't know until he gets in what the position is. He wants to give power back to committees. He doesn't say specifically he will publish.
Nigel Renaghan says it is not negotitiable, if members want to know they have to, it should come out. He highlights Ulster region never had a deputy president. He moves on to Teagasc, highlighting half teagasc income is spent on costs for ex-employees. He pledges support to the president.
Richard Kennedy says no problem with recruitment from here on, but there could be problems with existing contracts. He doens't know the situation but urges caution, but clear on future employees. He says some people still in denial, no point talking about the traditional role of deputy president, the future will be different than the past. Corporate governance is priority and his only ambition is to get IFA back on track.
8.30pm
First question from Denis Mc LAughlin: Will they say where they get the money and what they do with it?
Richard Kennedy first to answer, not sure at moment, thinks about €4.7m came in (through levies). He says paying a levy never compromises him, but he recognises others have a different view. The Lucey report is good but doesn't go far enough.
Pat Farrell says pay has to be benchmarked and says he has a duty to the people he collected from to account for it. He doesn't feel compromised by levies either but it is an issue every night. He will put back to grassroots to come up with ideas and wants General Secretary focused on farmer incomes only. You can't run the organisation on a shoestring and if doing away from levies we need another source.
Nigel Renaghan highlights different income streams. He suggests 50,000 farmers joining IFA telecom would generate €5m and replace factory levies. We need a well financed organisation.
8.25pm
Richard Kennedy opens by saying he was appaled by what happened in IFA and recalls 1966 and the campaign that put IFA on the road. It is wounded at the moment and it will take good leadership to bring it back and he says he can give that.
8.17pm
Priority to listen to members and return IFA to grass roots. Grocery order not enough, we cant get two tonnes of fertiliser for price of one
8.13pm
Pat Farell up now. Emphasising he is ordinary farmer and pledges next General /secretary has only one focus. Highlights his beef is produced 50c/kg below cost of production. References 50,000 sucklers and 300,000 ewes in Donegal.
8.15pm
Says young and part time farmers top of his list. Says IFA governence has let us down
8.10pm
Nigel Renaghan first up in DP debate. Highlighting his work in the the poultry committee and how he unified farmers under the IFA umbrella. Says leader doesnt telly what to do he shows you the way.
8.03pm
Crowd gathering slowly in letterkenny
8.00pm
We're in the Clanree Hotel in Letterkenny where the IFA election debate will start shortly. In the meantime, browse our photo gallery above for pictures of the Sligo and Leitrim hustings on Monday.
The Irish Farmers Journal will continue to bring you live blogs of all debates where presidential candidates are present at Farmersjournal.ie and on the mobile app.
| Donegal | Clanree Hotel, Letterkenny | Wed 9 Mar |
| Cavan | Hotel Kilmore, Cavan | Thu 10 Mar |
| Dublin | White House, St Margarets | Fri 11 Mar |
| Longford | Longford Arms Hotel | Mon 14 Mar |
| Monaghan | Glencarn Hotel, Castleblaney | Tue 15 Mar |
| Louth | Dooleys Edmondstown, Ardee | Wed 16 Mar |
| Laois | Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Deputy presidential candidates only, no live blog | Mon 21 Mar |
| Kildare | Keadeen Hotel - presidential debate only | Mon 29 Feb |
| Meath | Newgrange Hotel, Navan | Wed 23 Mar |
| Offaly | Tullamore Court Hotel | Tue 29 Mar |
| South Tipperary | Cahir House Hotel, Cahir | Mon 29 Feb |
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