The two Roscommon branches were due to facilitate voting in the election of a new IFA president and deputy president on Tuesday night.
In support for branch member John O’Beirne, who was backed by Roscommon for Connacht regional chair, Strokestown IFA called off the vote on Tuesday night, followed by Boyle.
There are now ongoing efforts in Roscommon for other branches to follow suit by calling off voting, with members divided on the issue. The Irish Farmers Journal heard opposite interpretations from members of the one branch on whether the vote was going ahead in their area.
We feel as though we're not been taken seriously, so the only way to gain traction is to make a stand. Connacht farmers want to be represented in IFA, but we've been thrown to the wolves.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Strokestown branch chair James Duke said he wants the IFA national executive to “put the pressure on” to come up with a resolution.
“The national executive is making moves to meet with us after last night’s voting was called off, I hear. This is a strong branch with 120 members, all of whom are very active in the IFA, and are very unhappy about this situation.
“We just want to be given the opportunity to vote for whoever will represent us in Connacht. IFA needs to make a move, whether it be by selecting one candidate, or letting all five run. We could whittle it down to two or three even, if they put the pressure on,” he said.
Jim O'Connor, Boyle branch secretary and Roscommon vice chair, said Connacht farmers were being "thrown to the wolves".
"We have really made no headway here in Connacht. We feel as though we're not been taken seriously, so the only way to gain traction is to make a stand. Connacht farmers want to be represented in IFA, but we've been thrown to the wolves.
"There's very important work to be done in the IFA to get the organisation back on track, and the branch would like the opportunity to vote in the elections before the deadline closes, so hopefully we can come to some sort of resolution before then. The fairest way would be to let the five candidates off, but the rules won't allow for that," he said.
Members of Ballinlough, Curraghboy and Elphin branches are set to vote on Wednesday night, followed by Athleague, Creggs, Kilbride-Fouremile'h and Moore on Thursday night.
Lack of leadership
In order to have a contest, a candidate must receive the backing of their own county, as well as the support from one other county in the province. A county can only lend support to one candidate.
As each county in the province has backed a candidate from their own county, each of the five candidates has been unable to secure a second nomination.
The executive of the Strokestown branch said there is a “clear lack of leadership” in the IFA with regard to the Connacht IFA region.
The five counties in Connacht were given a deadline of Easter Sunday by the IFA’s executive council to reach an agreement to facilitate an election, but no such agreement was reached.
Watch our live debate with the three candidates for IFA president in a special edition of Around the Editor’s Table this Friday 1 April at 8pm on www.farmersjournal.ie.
Read more
Strokestown IFA branch to block election in protest
No white smoke in Connacht as voting for IFA elections gets under way
Full coverage: IFA elections 2016
The two Roscommon branches were due to facilitate voting in the election of a new IFA president and deputy president on Tuesday night.
In support for branch member John O’Beirne, who was backed by Roscommon for Connacht regional chair, Strokestown IFA called off the vote on Tuesday night, followed by Boyle.
There are now ongoing efforts in Roscommon for other branches to follow suit by calling off voting, with members divided on the issue. The Irish Farmers Journal heard opposite interpretations from members of the one branch on whether the vote was going ahead in their area.
We feel as though we're not been taken seriously, so the only way to gain traction is to make a stand. Connacht farmers want to be represented in IFA, but we've been thrown to the wolves.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Strokestown branch chair James Duke said he wants the IFA national executive to “put the pressure on” to come up with a resolution.
“The national executive is making moves to meet with us after last night’s voting was called off, I hear. This is a strong branch with 120 members, all of whom are very active in the IFA, and are very unhappy about this situation.
“We just want to be given the opportunity to vote for whoever will represent us in Connacht. IFA needs to make a move, whether it be by selecting one candidate, or letting all five run. We could whittle it down to two or three even, if they put the pressure on,” he said.
Jim O'Connor, Boyle branch secretary and Roscommon vice chair, said Connacht farmers were being "thrown to the wolves".
"We have really made no headway here in Connacht. We feel as though we're not been taken seriously, so the only way to gain traction is to make a stand. Connacht farmers want to be represented in IFA, but we've been thrown to the wolves.
"There's very important work to be done in the IFA to get the organisation back on track, and the branch would like the opportunity to vote in the elections before the deadline closes, so hopefully we can come to some sort of resolution before then. The fairest way would be to let the five candidates off, but the rules won't allow for that," he said.
Members of Ballinlough, Curraghboy and Elphin branches are set to vote on Wednesday night, followed by Athleague, Creggs, Kilbride-Fouremile'h and Moore on Thursday night.
Lack of leadership
In order to have a contest, a candidate must receive the backing of their own county, as well as the support from one other county in the province. A county can only lend support to one candidate.
As each county in the province has backed a candidate from their own county, each of the five candidates has been unable to secure a second nomination.
The executive of the Strokestown branch said there is a “clear lack of leadership” in the IFA with regard to the Connacht IFA region.
The five counties in Connacht were given a deadline of Easter Sunday by the IFA’s executive council to reach an agreement to facilitate an election, but no such agreement was reached.
Watch our live debate with the three candidates for IFA president in a special edition of Around the Editor’s Table this Friday 1 April at 8pm on www.farmersjournal.ie.
Read more
Strokestown IFA branch to block election in protest
No white smoke in Connacht as voting for IFA elections gets under way
Full coverage: IFA elections 2016
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