Lorcan McCabe, the ICMSA’s deputy president, is stepping down.

The Bailieborough dairy farmer said labour issues triggered the decision. He has been deputy president since 2017, but informed the ICMSA’s executive committee of his decision on Monday evening.

The Cavan man said that the decision was not in any way due to issues of policy or personality difference.

“I’ve loved every minute of my time in ICMSA, but could no longer fulfil the duties of my position and run my farm day to day,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal on Tuesday.

“The president and the association have my full support.”

In turn, an ICMSA spokesperson paid warm tribute to McCabe.

“A thoroughly decent Irish family farmer, Lorcan always thought about the greater good of all his fellow farmers and the wider community in all he did”.