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01.35am

The latest IFA hustings in Wexford was a lively affair. Henry Burns, Joe Healy, and Flor McCarthy, who had mainly addressed questions without referring to each other over the first two weeks, engaged in a number of exchanges in the Riverside Hotel. About 200 attended the Enniscorthy venue.

One such issue was the beef forum. Joe Healy said it hadn’t delivered a thing for farmers, a clear reference to Henry Burns the IFA livestock chairman’s performance. He said he would take IFA out of the forum continued to not perform for farmers.

Burns then countered that it was the livestock committee who committed to the forum, and that Joe Healy as president would be breaching his commitment to restore the autonomy of IFA’s committees if he, rather than they, decided to leave the forum .

Joe Healy also referred to the fact that tillage farmers had to directly intervene with Minister Coveney to be included in the TAMS. Flor McCarthy, as Rural Development chair, is IFA’s lead negotiator on TAMS. He defended himself saying he had lobbied for all farmers, and that it was ultimately the Minister who decided who entered the scheme.

There was criticism of IFA’s stance on milk supply contracts, with a large contingent of former Wexford Milk Producer suppliers who now supply Strathroy present.

The meeting was disrupted when a farmer, Paddy Kehoe attempted to raise the issue of his relationship with the IFA. He was ruled out of order he is not an IFA member.

There was a commitment from all three candidates that they would never enter party politics, topical in the week of the general election. The campaign roadshow moves onto Kilkenny this (Tuesday) evening.

11.42pm

Thats all folks. A long one tonight; a lot of issues covered, and quite a bit of needle between the candidates. There is little doubt that the election is taking on its own momentum. Tomorrow night we cross the Blackstairs into Kilkenny, home of John Bryan, Phil Hogan, and good hurlers.

Slán

11.38pm

Henry Burns goes after Joe Healy for his comments. "The livestock committee, not the president, made the decision to engage with the beef forum," he says. Joe Healy said the committees should have pre-eminence, Henry points out, but would take it onto himself as president to leave the forum, a clear contradiction, Henry needs to take Wexford, and he makes a strong bid for the support of the room. The advantage of having the last word.

11.34pm

Now into the closing statements. The stamina of these men is impressive. Night after night, they are sharp and focussed, even as the audience tire. Joe Healy thanks Wexford farmers for their support for Galway during the fodder crisis of 2013 in his closing.

11.31pm

"The people with the good cattle are losing out as a reslt of the grid" says Joe, perhaps forgetting that Michael Doran was the beef chair who negotiated it. He then says the Beef Forum has delivered nothing for farmers, and if president he will not remain in the Forum unless that changes. That was a definite swing at Henry.

11.27pm

Pat Butler, an IFA stalwart, asks for a commitment from the three candidates that they will not involve themselves in party politics following their tenure as IFA President. He wants a two year "gardening leave" interval. All three men go further, and say that they will never enter party politics.

11.24pm

Now Joe Healy has a dig at Flor, saying that tillage farmers should not have had to go to the Minister themselves. On MSA's, Joe says that they should be voluntary, and that farmers in Wexford have "voted with their feet", with three processors nowin the area, Glanbia, Strathroy, and Arrabawn". On anti-volatility, Joe says IFA proposals are sound and should be pursued.

11.21pm

On the Fair Deal Scheme, Flor says that the five year rule has to go. he pays tribute to his wife, wh oworks beside him on the farm "We have no other source of income" he says.

11.17pm

Flor McCarthy says that 50% of milk should be on forward contracts, and the rest should not be tied by contract. Flor is critical of beef prices, in what seem to be references to Henry's tenure. The candidates are having a few swings at each other tonight, I hadn't seen that in the first fortnight.

11.15pm

"MSA's should be voluntary" says Henry Burns. This is new. He says that co-ops should have confidence in what they're doing, and then the membership will stay with them, they won't be switching processors.

11.11pm

On TAMS for tillage farmers, Henry says any measures "need to be practical, pragmatic, applicable, and affordable".

11.11pm

Henry on incomes "We're being told we need to feed the world, but can they pay for it? We're in danger of becoming busy fools". He says 100,000 farmers are dependant on subsidies for their income.

11.08pm

Liam Curtis, a former Wexford Milk Producers and Wexford Creamery director, asks about milk supply agreements. Liam was one of many former WMP members who now supply Strathroy, and were unhappy at how IFA acted during Glanbia’s purchase of Wexford Creamery. He directs it at Henry; Liam would have known Joe Healy well in Macra.

11.01pm

Michael Doran, the former national livestock chair, is addressing the meeting, calling for the commodity committees to be restored to prominence. All three candidates have pledged to do this, so he's pushing an open door on this one. He also mentions volatility, and suggests income deferral. He is followed by Tom Doyle, who says he has never seen as many calls about income problems from people who haven’t major borrowings, but have ran up their credit lines and have no money. "I'm getting one or two calls every day," he says. Stark.

10.55pm

The core activity of IFA is what we were set up to do, farm incomes and commodity prices", says Joe Healy.

10.53pm

"Inspections are coming up more often than prices” says Joe Healy, and he adds that there is a link with mental health. He proposes setting up a dedicated team to help before, during, and after an inspection.

10.51pm

Henry Burns addresses a question on FBD "They lost their way, away from their core business, and that is now reflected in our insurance bills". He adds that as president he would not serve on the FBD board "the president's time is precious". On farm safety. he says "our farmyards have never been safer, but the pressure on farmers has never been higher."

10.47pm

The meeting is restored to order. Flor is addressing a question from George Graham (of sheep shearing fame) re mental health and wellbeing among farmers. He praises Maura Canning and her Farm Family committee, and then neatly links it into another question in this batch, on inspections, which he says has put a lot of mental pressure on farmers.

10.42pm

Paddy Kehoe is on his feet. He wants to know why he does not have the opportunity to address the meeting. Paddy has had a long and fractious relationship with IFA. He was in a long-running dispute with the sugar company. Pat Murray, the county chairman, says he is not a member. Kehoe says he had his membership returned.

This, unfortunately, is descending into farce.

10.39pm

Henry then addresses his record. On CAP- we saved millions for Wexford. Millions was lost from Wexford, but millions more was kept in the county, by lobbying. I spent four days in Brussels lobbying.

On the suckler payment, the payment was cut to €20, I fought to get that improved, we in IFA delivered a €80 payment.

I realise that seven or eight years ago, I wouldn’t have been fit to lead IFA, I was a mart chairman, I was in Macra, but that doesn’t prepare you.

10.37pm

Joe defends his track record strongly. He refers to his work on the Farm Business committee in the last three years, which, as luck would have it, is chaired by a Wexford man Tom Doyle. He mentions the self –employed tax credit that was secured.

I’ve lobbied politicians every year since 1992, he said. He points out that he has, as Macra president, dealt with staff, as he did when chair of Athenry mart.

10.27pm

Flor has a dig at Joe. "I know how to close a deal not just write about it". Ouch.

10.25pm

IFA Paul Kehoe is back in, with a question about experience that is clearly directed at Joe in particular. "I've never heard of a TD becoming Taoiseach on his first day in office" he says.

The levy should always be voluntary, it should never be compulsory" says Henry.

10.20pm

Henry highlights that Macra depends on the funding it receives from the share of the milk levy it gets.

10.18pm

Flor broadens the issue still further "I will undertake to review the levies, but I will also ensure that your money is being spent wisely" says Flor.

10.15pm

Joe broadens his response to all levies, and says that farmers felt sold out during the 2014 blockade. "I'd rather pay twice my membership and have you lads do your job than have the current situation" says the questioner.

10.13pm

The issue of IFA levies, particularly the compulsory Boortmalt levy, arises. This is an issue in Wexford with a minority of growers. Joe Healy says that the Boortmalt IFA levy is not voluntary, but it should be.

10.09pm

Flor says that the fact that there are only three banks is a problem. "We were getting funding at 1.25% over cost of funds, that's rising now" he says. On climate change, "we're farming one of the most environmentally friendly systems in the world- grass based production."

10.05pm

More stats from Joe "1kg of beef produces 19kg of CO2. The EU average is 22kg, in Brazil it's €80kg."

10.02pm

Irish agriculture has a turnover of €26bn. €24bn of that is retained n the country, with three quarters of our inputs sourced locally" says Joe Healy, highlighting the sectors importance. He recalls the infamous "sheepgate" protest that both he and the questioner were at. It helped propel Tom Parlon to the presidency.

10.02pm

On climate change Henry Burns says that the German's wouldn't allow their car industry to be affected by coping strategies, and farming is more important to Ireland than cars are to Germany. On development charges, he says "we sat in the Laois county council offices for two days, and we don't have those charges."

10.02pm

On Brussels -"we lobby more Italian and French MEP's than Irish ones" Henry Burns. he says we must use our connections to ensure the platform and foundation of the next CAP is put in place during the current -Phil Hogan's - commissionership.

9.59pm

The first question is a four-parter from Godfrey Borthistle ranging from armchair landowners to development levies by local authorities to climate change.

9.58pm

Note Sean Kelly MEP sitting in the front row, listening to his fellow Kerryman. Wexford is in Sean's constituency of Ireland South-. It's a small country, but that would be a long walk home.

9.56pm

Flor on TAMS and tillage “we lobbied on behalf of all farmers, it was up to the Minister to ensure that tillage farmers were included in the scheme"

9.49pm

Flor McCarthy takes the floor now. He wastes no time in mentioning the fact that he served with JJ Kavanagh on the livestock committee-JJ is held in high regard in Wexford. he has just rejoined the livestock committee, having only served two years previously.

9.42pm

He mentions the fact that grain prices have hardly moved since the 1970's. Scarcely credible, but sadly true.

9.42pm

We need to ensure that our Minister and our Commissioner get the Russian ban revoked, Healy adds, endorsing forward contracts for milk.

9.42pm

Joe Healy says that a farmer told him his son was studying to be an actuary, but couldn't understand the beef grid. He then says the genomic scheme should be farmer friendly and deliver €200 a cow- which is what Fianna Fáil have pledged to do on the first 20 cows.

9.37pm

Henry Burns says that the outgoing government have been weak on farm incomes- strong in Brussels, but weak on incomes". He is well-known to many of the farmers here, and says he will stand on his record of delivery in the positions he has held. Henry gets a warm reception on conclusion.

9.31pm

9.24pm

Levies come up as they do every night.

I can see that the levies need to be changed, but we have to find a way to replace the lost income.

Nigel Renaghan says he has a plan. "I’ve come up with a possible solution. IFA telecom made 600,000 last year. There’s 13,000 members in it. If we all got our mobile phone through IFA telecom you’d have your levy income replaced. That lets you know, I am thinking about things". Might catch on.

9.09pm

Joe Byrne, a former farmer writer for the Irish Farmers Journal, asks about input costs. Renaghan refers to fertiliser, but then returns to his theme that the focus should be on a premium price for a premium product. "Everyone's talking about or great food, why aren't we getting a great price"

9.09pm

Richard Kennedy on TTIP "I have seen in the past, the effect that IFA has had on international trade agreements, it could punch way above its weight, and the concern I have is that we haven't the credibility to do that at the moment".

9.06pm

How could the candidates keep beef imports out the next question asks. All mention equivalence, with Farrell getting applause for referring to the success of IFA's Brazilian beef campaign, and saying that IFA should be prepared to renew that battle with imports where full traceability is not in place.

9.04pm

Pay raises its head, inevitably. What would the men be willing to accept? expenses and labour replacement is all they want. Former executive pay is criticise by the candidates.

8.59pm

Drystock farmer Simon Bailey asks why the grassroots were not consulted before the beef protest was called off a little over a year ago. All three, to varying degrees, point out their grassroots credentials. Renaghan is quite passionate, saying that at the recent Slaney protest about the proposed ABP/Slaney deal, he put on his working clothes and pitched in with the preparations.

8.56pm

A different Paul Kehoe, the IFA one, who is livestock chair in Wexford, but a dairy convert, wants to know the stance the candidates would take for the next CAP reform. He points out that Wexford is a productive county that needs supports to maintain that output. naturally, as we're in Wexford, no one is proposing flat payments tonight.

8.51pm

The next question is on canvassing. All three are in agreement that canvassing is not appropriate with where IFA are. I saw Paul Kehoe, who is a local TD, canvassing in the town tonight. Some are tipping him to succeed Simon Coveney as agriculture minister, if he retains his seat, if Fine Gael are back in power, and if they retain the farming portfolio. That's a lot of if's.

8.47pm

Richard Kennedy re-interprets the question probably correctly, to be about IFA representing all commodities correctly, and gaining an income for all sectors, He endorses this as IFA's position, and says it's the reason he believes in IFA, it represents all farmers.

8.47pm

Pat Farrell says quotes a neighbour, saying "there's no living to be made out of farming, but there are lots making a living out of farmers." Nigel Renaghan says that there should be an "Irish grain price for an Irish grain product". That gets the first round of applause, we're in barley country here, on the banks of the Slaney.

8.45pm

The first question comes from Bertie Warren, formerly a BVA member (that was the beet growers organisation, which eventually came into the IFA fold for our younger readers). It's on incomes.

8.44pm

Pat Farrell says that he does not trade on "charisma or false hope". He points to his track record of standing against Pat Smith.

8.42pm

8.37pm Nigel Renaghan is up next. He has the same introductory as we have heard for the last two weeks- focussing on his record as poultry chair, and the need for farmers to get a decent return for their efforts. Live exports again features

8.31pm There's a decent crowd in, it will be interesting to see if the questions are similar to those we heard in Munster.

Richard Kennedy says that he feels if he had become president in 2009, when he ran but John Bryan won, that IFA might have not found itself in the situation it does "I feel I have the ability to spot those kind of things" he says.

8.26pm Welcome to the Riverside Hotel in Enniscorthy for tonight’s hustings, the first in Leinster.

Richard Kennedy is the first on his feet to introduce himself to the Wexford audience.

To read the latest updates, refresh your page by hitting the F5 key on your computer or Menu>Latest stories in the mobile app.

7.00pm

An hour to go before the third week of the hustings commence. We're in Wexford tonight so stay tuned for all the updates.

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.

Confirmed IFA election debates details

KilkennyNewpark Hotel, KilkennyTue 23 Feb
CarlowDolmen Hotel, CarlowWed 24 Feb
WicklowWoodenbridge Hotel, ArklowThu 25 Feb
South TipperaryCahir House Hotel, CahirMon 29 Feb

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Full coverage: IFA elections 2016