The IFA election hustings exploded into life on the fourth night of the election campaign in Dungarvan on Thursday night.

The candidates were grilled on their attitude to the resignations of Pat Smith and Eddie Downey, with suggestions that the IFA owed the former president an apology following the events of last November. The issue was always likely to feature strongly at some stage, as Waterford is a county with strong links to Eddie Downey.

The other main issue on the night was that of levies. It was stated from the floor that Cork Marts charge 10% for collection of the levies. Another contributor from the floor suggested that this would mean that over half a million euro is being withheld by those co-ops, processors and merchants collecting levies if there was a 10% "service charge" across the board.

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The meeting saw passions rise and heated contributions, but as is often the case when farmers meet, there were no hard feelings afterwards over a cup of tea.

There can be no doubt that after tonight, this election has moved on to a different level. There are seven weeks and 25 more county hustings in front of the candidates.

Read a detailed account of the evening in our archived live blog below

11.42pm

That's all for tonight folks. and for week one of the hustings. Four down, twenty five to go. This one was spiky, the election is on for real, and the candidates better be ready to answer fairly tough questions re unfinished business as we traverse around the country.

Sleep tight.

11.41pm

I think the anger in this county re. the preception of the treatment of Eddie Downey in November may well have affected the attendance as well.

11.39pm

11.31pm

I must say the three candidates are showing serious stamina as we come to the closure of the fourth successive night of hustings. They've been canvassing every day into the bargain, I'm sure. These final answers are strong on policy detail. Now entering the minute wrap-up.

11.27pm

Joe, like the others, says the Fair Deal scheme needs changing, and he welcomes the oppositions commitment to remove the fair deal charge from the productive assets of the farm, and on to the income. That clarifies my blurry earlier assertion; it is Fianna Fáil who have made that commitment. Joe did point out earlier that he couldn't attend yesterday's executive council meeting, as he isn't a member of that committee.

11.27pm

The room is getting a little restlesss, it's been a charged atmosphere and we are now three hours into the meeting. On grain, Henry says that a lot of growers feel they were not supported by co-ops the way milk suppliers were despite very poor prices. Flor McCarthy says that high costs and poor prices are not an issue for the grain sector alone, but most farm commodiities. You may have guessed that there was a question on grain.

11.23pm

The Fair Deal scheme has come up again tonight. It's a massive issue for any family affected by it. The main political parties have all made some commitment to improve the terms for farmland. One suggestion is that the fee should be levied on the income from the farm but not the asset itself. A massive looming issue for the next IFA president, and I know Maura Canning and the family farm committee are working night and day to get political support from prospective government parties on the issue. As, in fairness, are the other farm organisations.

11.15pm

I'm hearing Eddie Davitt has been nominated at the Sligo executive. I'm not sure if that nomination was made to the exective or has been accepted and made form the executive, but I am assuming he will be put forward by his county. I understand that Padraig Joyce is being nominated again by Mayo, so it's back to Leitrim as to how this plays out. Connacht for intrigue.

11.03pm

11.03pm

Question asking whether there is a collection charge for the levy. Henry and Flor say no, to the best of their knowledge. Joe says that there are rumours, but ICOS said no charge. Then a person from the floor says Cork Marts charge a 10% collection fee. A further speaker says this would be half a million euro if that were the case across the board. This is serious, and could be the death knell for levies.

10.49pm

We're treading water now. A question asks should the levy be halved as a gesture. The responses are along predictable lines. It's clear after only four nights that the next president will have to grasp the nettle that is the levies.

10.45pm

We've finally moved on to other issues. The levy comes up. Joe Healy says it has been an issue for the last 30 years. Henry says it is a perception that may have become a reality that levies are not the right method of funding IFA. "There aren't too many options," he says, committing to a review of levies within 12 months of becoming president. Flor McCarthy is also willing to examine how to fund IFA without the income from the levies.

10.43pm

Joe Healy acknowledges the work Eddie Downey did as chair of the farm business committee, which Joe currently serves on, and Eddie chaired from 2004-2008. I served on that committee with Eddie, and he was an outstanding chairman.

10.41pm

All three candidates speak of their close personal relationship with Eddie Downey. Flor McCarthy indicates he would apologise to Eddie on behalf of IFA. Henry Burns says he accepts Eddie Downey's bone fides re the events of the 18-25 November. This is dangerous territory, but it is emerging that the disputed narratives re those days is still an ourstanding issue, and is sure to raise its head around the country. I'm sure this would be more the case if Derek Deane and/or Tim O'Leary, two of the central characters in the events of last November/December, were standing as candidates.

10.25pm

Joe Healy references the Irish Farmers Journal cartoon as showing how Eddie Downey was unlucky. Kevin Kiersey asks if elected, would the candidates offer an apology to Eddie Downey.

10.21pm

This is a forceful verbal assault by Kevin Kiersey. The chair of the night, Waterford chair John Fitzgerald, points out that the issue of Pat Smith's severance package is a matter before the courts, and should not be commented on. Kiersey names Padraig Walshe, John Dillon, Tom Parlon, and Michael Berkery as people whose level of remuneration should be investgated and made public.

10.18pm

Here comes Kevin Kiersey with the first question. "None of the candidates have addressed the problem," he says. "This was never about beef and dairy and cereals. This was brought about by the retirement of Pat Smith and the removal of Eddie Downey." "Eddie Downey. an honourable man, got caught in the crossfire" between Pat Smith and forces aligned against him.

10.11pm

Flor winding up now. The first question from the floor is likely to be a bit of a hand grenade.

10.07pm

Flor McCarthy says that people coming up from counties like Waterford to serve on committees "feel that their voices are not being heard".

10.01pm

Flor McCarthy speaking now. He says he was the only presidential candidate to travel to Dublin yesterday to meet Michael Martin and Joan Burton when they addressed the IFA's executive council.

9.51pm

9.51pm

Joe Healy on CAP review. My father used to say "the best time to plant a tree is thirty years ago, the second best time is now", meaning the next CAP negotiation starts now. Healy is strong and forceful tonigh, his speech is crisp and prepped - Macra training showing through.

9.48pm

Joe Healy opens as he has every night, speaking of this being "an extraordinary election" following ther "chaos " of recent months. It's the first night that has been palpable.

9.39pm

"The one thing we have to have in IFA is equality," says Burns. He says that farmers in Ireland should have access to banking from across the EU, that lack of competition among Irish banks is causing farmers to being made pay execessive interest rates.

9.34pm

Henry Burns starts the presidential debate. He harks back to the early days of IFA, where famers were splintered into many groups, and says that politicians are once again trying to interfere with IFA. "I say no," he proclaims. He calls for full transparency of how IFA collect their money and spend their money.

9.34pm

The candidates are now summing up. There was always a possibility that tonight would see fireworks in relation to the events of the last three months. Eddie Downey swept this county two years ago when being elected to the presidency. His wife Mary is from Waterford, and it was regarded as his "second base". Pat Farrell says that the day after Pat Smith resigned, Eddie Downey received a unanimous vote of confidence from the executive council. By the time they met again, Downey had "stepped back", and he resigned during that next meeting.

9.24pm

Kevin Kiersey comes back in. He says that "a rumour needs to be checked out" in relation to pay in the IFA in the past. He says that Eddie Downey was "shot and hung" by the executive board and the executive council. He describes Eddie Downey as a decent man who was supported by a large majority of the IFA memberhsip two years ago. He receives a large round of applause when he says that this is the view in Waterford, and needs to be heard around the country.

9.24pm

Nigel Renaghan says that IFA could and should put people on the road to help farmers deal with inspections. Pat Farrell said on levies that they need to be looked at, but are bringing in €4.7m, one third of IFA's revenue.

9.21pm

Richard Kennedy is in feisty mood tonight. On levies, he said that "over the next 12 months we should find another way of funding the organisation". He continued: "there are bad vibes around factories collecting levies - I know there has to be a change. On inspections, he says: "The charter of rights is not worth the paper is written on."

9.17pm

While we're meeting in Waterford, executives are meeting in Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim, to decide who to nominate for Connacht regional chair. Tweet us @farmersjournal if you're at any of those meetings with a progress update. John O'Beirne and Tom Turley were nominated by Roscommon and Galway respectively last night.

9.10pm

Peter Kiely has now asked what more should be looked for or "winkled out". "We're here because of what happened in November," he added. In reply, Pat Farrell said his focus on council was to deal with the general secretary (against whom he brought a motion of confidence in January 2015). Richard Kennedy described the Lucey report as "a good foundation". Nigel Renaghan said he wants to know "when the rot set in".

9.07pm

The three candidates were not drawn on the issue of Tim O'Leary's performance. Kevin Kiersey then said that he was interested that Richard Kennedy had said he would support the president, because Tim O'Leary had not supported his president (Eddie Downey). He went on to say that the Con Lucey report "was a cover-up". Incendiary!

8.59pm

Sorry, we've had a few technical problems, all fixed now.

Finally, some fireworks tonight. Kevin Kiersey, formerly national dairy chair, made an emotive speech leading to a question. He said the three deputy candidates had ignored the key issue in their speeches - not incomes, but IFA. He then asked the three candidates how they saw the role of the deputy president, and how they would rate the performance of the outgoing deputy president, Tim O'Leary.

8.36pm

The deputy presidential speeches are under way. Nigel Renaghan following Richard Kennedy after Pat Farrell kicked off.

8.25pm

We also have audio and analysis in our podcast:

8.13pm

Until tonight's proceedings get under way, you can catch up on the first three debates between candidates for IFA president and deputy president in north Tipperary, west Cork and Cork central.

8.04pm

We are in Lawlors Hotel, Dungarvan, Co Waterford to bring you a live blog of the fourth IFA election hustings. Get ready while the candidates and the crowd settles in.

First round of IFA election debates

Follow more live blogs at www.farmersjournal.ie and on the Farmers Journal app in the coming days:

North CorkGAA Complex, MallowMon 15th Feb
KerryBallygarry House Hotel, TraleeTues 16th Feb
LimerickWoodlands Hotel, AdareWed 17th Feb
Clare               Auburn Lodge Hotel, EnnisThurs 18th Feb