The IFA is investigating an allegation of staff canvassing in the Donegal IFA election, the chair of the IFA rules and privileges committee Martin Stapleton has confirmed.

In a letter from Stapleton to Donegal IFA member Peter Lynch, who highlighted his concerns to the chair last month around alleged canvassing issues in the recent election, he said that the rules committee sought a submission from the IFA’s director general Damian McDonald on the issue. The committee met on Friday last.

“The director general informed the meeting that there is currently a review underway as any allegation of staff canvassing, in any election, is a matter to be taken very seriously.”

The director general is to report back to the committee “on completion of the investigation”.

Once the committee receive the report around the allegation of staff canvassing, Stapleton said the rules committee will consider “what issues arise” for Lynch’s complaint and the association in general.

Election

Lynch also raised an issue around conduct of the election on the night. In response to this claim, Stapleton said that following a report from rules committee member Jim O'Connor, who attended on the night, it was felt the election was conducted in accordance with IFA custom and practice.

“The practice of a public roll call, combined with voters signing a register, has been deemed historically to be sufficient to ensure the integrity of the process. It is important to note that no issues were raised on the night in relation to the running of the election or the validity of any proxies.

“The president was complimentary in his observations of how efficiently the process was conducted, given the number of elections conducted on the night,” he said.

Background

Two farmers were in the running for the position of Donegal IFA chair – Joe Sweeney from Dunfanaghy and Peter Lynch from Newtowncunningham. Lynch was the outgoing county chair.

At the election for the position on 7 February, Sweeney won by 66 votes to Lynch’s 46.

In an email to Stapleton, Lynch set out that he had concerns over canvassing issues, which, in his opinion, may have impacted the outcome of the election.