Following a dead heat at the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) presidential election on Wednesday night 14 December, Dermot Kelleher and Seán McNamara have agreed to share power for the next two years.

Voting of the national executive took place at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, Co Laois, where the two candidates both received 31 votes each.

After some discussion between the two candidates, a power-sharing agreement was decided upon, the alternative being to elect one of the men by drawing a name from a hat.

Kelleher, a suckler farmer from Inchigeela in west Cork, will remain in situ as president for 2023, while McNamara, a sheep, suckler and beef farmer from Lismacaffrey, Co Westmeath, will take up the office in 2024.

McNamara will also assume a position on the ICSA's management committee in the new year.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal on the night, ICSA general secretary Eddie Punch said: "I think it will leave [the] ICSA much stronger to have two men working well together.

"In a way, it was a very positive outcome as everyone who voted tonight had their candidate win. Voters are happy and the candidates are happy."

The pair are due to meet Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue on Thursday morning, 15 December, to discuss the Food Vision beef and sheep report and other issues.

They will then meet with Bord Bia CEO Jim O'Toole.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal following the count, Dermot Kelleher said that he would have been happier to win, but that some of his voters did not turn up on the night.

"Seán had people who didn't come and I had people who didn't come, but that's life. I'm happy to do a year and I know Seán will do a good job the year after," he said.

McNamara added that he was happy to be power-sharing with Kelleher.

"That's the way things go, football often ended in a draw too," he said.