DEAR SIR:

I am an ordinary, grassroots member of the IFA, who together with my fellow farmers, am so deeply frustrated with the IFA Executive Board’s arrogance and disrespect for our views, that I feel compelled to write this letter.

Firstly, why in this promised new era of transparency and openness was the vote of the IFA National Council on 15 December 2015, one of no confidence in the Executive Board, conducted by secret ballot with the vote ratio undisclosed?

Secondly, I ask how and why was the former IFA president allowed to attend and participate in the IFA National Council meeting which arguably put undue influence on the outcome of the vote?

Finally, why were the IFA county executives not given the opportunity to examine the Con Lucey report in advance of voting on the motion of no confidence of the current IFA Executive Board?

Many senior figures of the IFA have called for a line to be drawn in the sand in relation to the recent unfoldings regarding remuneration packages in the IFA so that the organisation can return to representing farmers interests, but, how can you return to normality, with the same Executive Board who oversaw this debacle, remaining in power?