There are two main proposals arising from the IFA’s meeting today in the Irish Farm Centre. Firstly, since Eddie Downey’s resignation as president on 25 November, the IFA has given 28 days’ notice of its intention to seek a change in the association’s rule regarding the timing of the presidential election. The rule requires that an election be held within 60 days of a presidential vacancy arising. It is widely expected that the executive council will approve this, and in an earlier statement made by the IFA it is said the new election will be postponed until March, April or June.

The second proposal is the decision last Sunday of the executive board to end their current two-year term in order to facilitate a new round of elections. This again requires an association rule change under which all senior positions in the IFA would “revert to two two-year terms” of office. This change again would require a two-third approval from the executive board.

The six remaining members of the IFA executive board currently comprises the four regional chairman, James McCarthy, Bert Stewart, Tom Turley and James Murphy, and deputy president Tim O’Leary and acting chairman and treasurer Jer Bergin.

Further county executive meetings

At a meeting of the north Tipperary county executive in Nenagh last night, there were some calls for the full executive board to resign. But in the end members voted to give north Tipperary county chairman Tim Cullinan the right to decide on what action should be called for based on today’s meeting of the executive council.

A meeting of the south Tipperary executive in Cahir was more negative, with members calling for the full board to resign. They also called for the proposed rule change that would allow them get elected again not to be passed.

In Wicklow, branches voted to support the rule change allowing the board to stand down on the day of the election and seek re-election.

They also agreed that the presidential election should be held no later than the first week in May.

Limerick, the county that first proposed a protest at Tuesday's council meeting, also met last night to discuss whether they would go ahead with the protest or not. Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Limerick county chairman Aidan Gleeson said that members decided not to protest as their demands, a rule change to allow the election of a new board with a new mandate, had been met. "Our members are happy enough with that," he said. "If the current members of the board can convince the 88,000 IFA members to re-elect them after they step down, well then that's fair."

Tim Cullinan no longer in the race

At the meeting of the north Tipperary county executive, IFA presidential hopeful Tim Cullinan confirmed that he has not received the required number of county executive signatures to become a candidate in the IFA presidential race. In order to become a candidate, presidential hopefuls must receive the backing of their own county executive, plus the backing of at least five other county executives.

So far Joe Healy is the only confirmed candidate in the presidential race. Nominations for president close on Wednesday 6 January at 5.30pm.

Additional reporting by Shane Murphy, Odile Evans, Jack Kennedy and Amy Nora Fitzgibbon

Read more

Full coverage: IFA elections 2016