Irish Farmers' Association

Irish Farmers' Association

Native name	Feirmeoirí Aontaithe na hÉireann
Founded	1955
Members	85,000
Key people	Joe Healy, President (vacant), General Secretary Bryan Barry, Assistant General Secretary, Michael Treacy, European Director, Kevin Kinsella, Livestock Director, Catherine Lascurettes, Dairy Executive Secretary.
Office location	Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin
Country	Ireland
Website	www.ifa.ie

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) (Irish: Feirmeoirí Aontaithe na hÉireann) is a national organisation to represent the interests of all sectors of farming in Ireland.

History

It was founded in January 1955 as the National Farmers Association (NFA), aiming to lead Irish farmers out of the depression and deprivation which had dominated rural Ireland for decades.

The NFA merged in the 1960s with four smaller organisations representing specific sectors (including Leinster Milk Producers (now Fresh Milk Producers), beet growers and horticulture) to form the Irish Farmers Association – the IFA.

In the 1972 referendum on Irish membership of the European Economic Community, the IFA campaigned for a "yes" vote, seeking access to European markets and higher prices for agricultural produce.

The IFA's head office is at the Irish Farm Centre, in Bluebell, Dublin. It also maintains 12 regional offices and an office in Brussels.

Salary controversy

In November 2015 Eddie Downey (President) and Pat Smith (General Secretary) resigned following controversy over salaries. Mr Smith's salary in 2013 had been €535,000. He resigned on 18 November. A week later members of the organisation's national executive council were informed that Mr Smith had been given a €2m severance payment and €2.7m pension. Eddie Downey admitted he had signed off this agreement, and resigned. Downey was earning €147,000 a year plus €50,000 in add-ons when he resigned.

The IFA confirmed that former IFA chief economist Con Lucey — who had attempted to raise concerns over financial issues and transparency before quitting under duress in 2014 — would oversee a review of salaries and expenses.

List of Presidents

Name	Year	Origin
Juan Greene	1955–1962	County Kildare
Rickard Deasy	1962–1967	County Tipperary
T. J. Maher	1967–1976	County Tipperary
Paddy Lane	1976–1980	County Clare
Donal Cashman	1980–1984	County Cork
Joe Rea	1984–1988	County Tipperary
Tom Clinton	1988–1990	County Meath
Alan Gillis	1990–1994	County Kildare
John Donnelly	1994–1998	County Galway
Tom Parlon	1998–2002	County Offaly
John Dillon	2002–2006	County Limerick
Padraig Walshe	2006–2010	County Laois
John Bryan	2010–2014	County Kilkenny
Eddie Downey	2014–2015	County Meath

External links

• Official website