Downey to 'step back' from IFA presidency

Irish Farmers' Association President Eddie Downey has announced that he is stepping back from his role to facilitate a review of remuneration and corporate governance issues at the IFA, RTE is reporting.

Following a meeting of executive board members tonight, the association has asked its former chief economist Con Lucey to conduct the review and report to the council on the implementation of the recommendations that he made in August 2014 around the issue of remuneration at the IFA.

They have also invited Mr Lucey to make any additional recommendations on corporate governance or any other areas which he considers relevant.

Mr Downey, who farms at Slane,  said that he wished to give Mr Lucey and the association the time and the space to thoroughly review the situation and that is why he is stepping back from his role.

Deputy President Tim O'Leary will undertake the functions of the president.

The decision by Mr Downey follows intense criticism of the association throughout the past weekend by farmers throughout the country, who were outraged to learn that former general secretary of the IFA Pat Smith had been paid close to one million euro in remuneration between 2013 and 2014. Mr Smith, the Tierworker native who lives in Dunshaughlin, resigned his position on Thursday.