Galway to be ‘big player’ in Connacht IFA vote

GALWAY IFA looks set to be the ‘big player’ in the election of the Connacht IFA Regional Chair next week – Mayo’s Padraic Joyce and Sligo’s Eddie Davitt are contesting the position.

Next week’s vote should bring to an end six months of deadlock and controversy over the filling of the position – initially no one candidate succeeded in getting the necessary seconder for the position.

The post had been held by Galway’s Tom Turley for the past two and a half years – this time around, the county has no one in the field following a meeting last month between the county chairmen of the province.

Galway, with 78 branches, will come close to the 300 vote mark when delegates convene on the Raheen Woods on Wednesday night next (June 22), at a meeting that will be addressed by both Padraic Joyce and Eddie Davitt.

Mayo carry the next biggest vote in the province with their 55 branches capable of delivering approximately 200 votes.

The next biggest county is Roscommon (55 branches, c. 120 votes); Sligo (19, c. 70+) and Leitrim (17, c. 70).

The voting starts on Monday night in Leitrim before switching to Roscommon on Tuesday, Galway on Wednesday and both Sligo and Mayo on Thursday.

Padraic Joyce – given the strength of his own county and his Galway connections – is favourite to fill the position but Sligo’s Eddie Davitt has carried out a strong campaign for one of the smaller counties to get its chance.

“I have got a strong response from across Galway and the other counties. My experience in negotiation at national and European level is extensive and we have received at times, first class results,” Eddie Davitt told the Farming Tribune.

The Tubbercurry sheep farmer has also vowed to try and get schemes more farmer friendly; to secure an increase in the Glas payments; to achieve a fair milk price and to get an increase in the ANC payment levels.

Padraic Joyce told the Farming Tribune that he was very encouraged at the response he had received across Galway from all farming sectors.

“There is a real sense of the IFA trying to reconnect with the grassroots since the controversies that arose at the end of last year.

“One of my main aims would be try and strengthen and renew that connection between the elected officers and the ordinary members,” said Padraic Joyce.

A dairy and beef farmer from Islandeady, Co. Mayo [between Castlebar and Westport], Padraic Joyce said that commodity prices, inspections, scheme payment rates, flooding and SACs were some of the big issues arising.