Have your say on Con Lucey review

Members are invited to make submissions to a review of the structures in the IFA around corporate governance and related matters, including issues around remuneration. The review is being undertaken by former chief economist Con Lucey. Members may make submissions in strict confidence to conluceyreview@ifa.ie by Monday 7 December. Mr Lucey will report on the review to the executive council on Tuesday 15 December. The terms of reference of the review are available at www.ifa.ie.

Water project

The IFA will hold meetings in the coming weeks with members impacted by the proposed project to bring water from the Parteen basin in Tipperary to the midlands and east. More than 500 landowners may be impacted by this project; it is essential that Irish Water listens to and addresses genuine concerns raised by farmers.

Meeting on schemes

Rural Development chair Flor McCarthy met the Department earlier this week to press for early TAMS II approvals, GLAS payments to be paid out in December, AEOS and REPS payments to commence immediately, and grant payment of €12m under TAMS I to be paid to farmers who have completed their work. Keep updated at www.ifa.ie.

BDGP review

IFA Livestock chair Henry Burns and director of livestock Kevin Kinsella attended the first meeting of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme review in the Department last week. Important issues around payments, applications, four- and five-star animals, genotyping and the six-year rule were all discussed. See www.ifa.ie.