North Cork Creameries chair Gerald Burns has stepped down from his position due to a technical error surrounding his appointment, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.
Burns, a dairy farmer from Kanturk, was appointed at a board meeting of the co-op last week, replacing Thomas O’Donoghue who resigned as chair.
However, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that at a meeting of the board on Tuesday night, the board was informed that the appointment was invalid, as it contravened the rules of the society due to the nature of the board meeting at which Burns was originally appointed.
Ordinarily, a new chair can only be elected at a normal board meeting, whereas the meeting at which Burns was elected was a special meeting convened to discuss O’Donoghue’s resignation.
It has also emerged that because the AGM for 2025 has not yet taken place – but is expected to take place within six months – new board members should not be appointed until after the AGM.
Therefore, it is understood that Burns was ineligible to be brought on to the board at either the board meeting last week or the board meeting this week, given that the co-op hasn’t yet held an AGM for 2025.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that Dominic Cronin, vice-chair of the co-op, will be acting chair until a new chair is appointed.
It remains to be seen whether Burns will be appointed to the board after the AGM and whether or not he will then be appointed chair.
North Cork Creameries has been asked for comment.
In most companies, it would be considered highly unusual for someone to be appointed to the role of chair for less than one week.
However, North Cork Creameries has recent precedent in this regard, as board member Seán Morrison was appointed chair for less than one week last March.
This happened when then-chair Thomas O’Donoghue resigned from his role at a time of particular strife at the co-op, as steps were being taken to close down the milk processing plant.
Less than a week later, interim chief executive Michael Cronin resigned and O’Donoghue returned as chair, ousting Morrison.
With O’Donoghue now resigned again, finding his replacement has not been plain sailing and the co-op is once again at the centre of controversy and intrigue.
