There were calls in some quarters for the IFA presidential election vote in Kerry to be regarded as a referendum or plebiscite on all that has gone on there over the last couple of years.
In contrast to the wafer-thin vote for re-election of county chair Kenny Jones last April, this week’s result was decisive. That earlier election saw branch officers cast their votes. In the presidential election, when all branch members voted, they resoundingly supported Martin Stapleton.
It might be scant consolation to the Limerick man right now, but the fact that he carried Kerry by 1,179 votes to 579 can only be seen as a vindication of the actions he took as chair of the rules and privileges committee.
Particularly in relation to the complaint made by Jones regarding a barrage of abusive communications that resulted in the suspension of dairy chair Michael O’Dowd from holding any officer position in the organisation.
The ongoing disputes resulted in the election hustings scheduled for Kerry being cancelled.
Will the group of Kerry county officers who have been agitating ever since for that decision to be overturned and the whole process to be reopened now recognise the will of the people? Only time will tell.
SHARING OPTIONS