Sky Sports mightn’t have noticed, but the IFA has been more active than Chelsea in the transfer market in recent months. While the appointments have been made with little fanfare, there is a distinctly fresh look to the team.

Tadhg Buckley is probably the key appointment. As both director of policy and economist, he is arguably second only to director general Damian McDonald.

Aine O’Connell has been recruited from ICMSA as dairy executive, a rare transfer across the rival organisations. The internal redeployments of Denis Griffin and Geraldine O’Sullivan to more significant roles will see Griffin to take on rural development, hill farming and leadership of the CAP project team.

O’Sullivan takes responsibility for the vital area of environment, combining it with forestry and farm family.

Kinsella continues to work on a consultative basis with the IFA on infrastructure issues

With Anna Daly coming in to take on Mary Jenner’s role, the picture is almost complete.

A livestock executive is now the one remaining senior vacancy.

Following the recent departures of Kevin Kinsella, Catherine Lascurettes, Fintan Conway, Thomas Ryan and Edel Kelly, and with Gerry Gunning set to retire before year-end, it marks a real changing of the guard.

Kinsella continues to work on a consultative basis with the IFA on infrastructure issues. The vexed question of a proposed 38kv line from Great Island to New Ross, crossing many farms that have just been hit by the New Ross bypass, will be one such situation.