West Cork IFA has passed a motion calling for greater oversight of executive pay levels. The executive in west Cork met on Tuesday night, and passed a motion calling for the organisation’s executive council to be fully informed of the remuneration of the general secretary Pat Smith. West Cork chairman Richard Connell said Eddie Downey will come to west Cork to address the executive on this and any issue.

At last week’s executive council meeting, Carlow IFA chairman Derek Deane made a long and detailed presentation on the issue of the pay of the general secretary, and how it is overseen by the organisation. This was then distributed among the media as an open letter.

The main contention is that there should be full transparency of the general secretary’s remuneration. Deane also contended that the general secretary should be on a scale of pay linked to similar positions in the industry. Deane stated that he is being constantly challenged with rumours that the general secretary is being paid much more than these men.

Nobody followed Deane to speak in support of his stance. The 53-strong executive council then overwhelmingly supported the ratification of the remuneration committee as proposed. There were a few abstentions, a couple of them high profile, and Deane was one of four people who voted against.

The remuneration committee, comprising Eddie Downey, deputy president Tim O’Leary, treasurer Jer Bergin and former Glanbia CEO John Maloney, are now responsible for agreeing the remuneration of the general secretary and the expenses for the president (from which Downey will naturally absent himself). In the past, the remuneration and terms and conditions for the general secretary were reviewed annually by the president and national treasurer.

Trust

It must be remembered that farmers placed their trust in Downey and O’Leary to lead them two years ago, and surely believe them competent to decide pay levels for Pat Smith. When Pat Smith was selected to succeed Michael Berkery in 2009, Derek Deane was deputy president of IFA and a member of the interview committee who selected him, along with president Padraig Walshe and treasurer/returning officer Ruadhri Deasy. Since then, Deane’s relationship with the general secretary has been fractured, with Deane co-sponsoring a motion of no confidence in Pat Smith back in January.

IFA president Eddie Downey said the issues raised by Derek Deane “have been discussed in detail and carefully considered by our Association”.

Last week, the Executive Council overwhelmingly decided that a strengthened remuneration committee would deal with the pay and conditions of the general secretary and set the terms of the president going forward and that IFA will continue to comply fully with GAAP accountancy rules and new reporting requirements on key personnel.

All council members should now accept collective responsibility and respect the decisions taken democratically by the executive council.

“IFA is an extremely well-run organisation with very robust management structures and voluntary oversight of all expenditures, and our total focus is on tackling and delivering on the many serious issues facing farm families at this time,” he continued.