IFA Elections 2023: Francie Gorman Elected IFA President
Francie Gorman from Ballinakill in Co Laois has been elected President of the IFA.
At today’s count in the Castleknock Hotel, he secured 16,699 votes to 13,210 votes for Martin Stapleton.
The turnout for the election was just shy of 30,000, a significant uplift on 2019. For the first time, members received their ballot in the post and they had the option to bring their completed vote to their branch AGM, or return it by post.
Francie Gorman will take up office at the IFA AGM in January, when he succeeds Tim Cullinan. He will be the 17th President of the IFA, and the second from Laois.
He said it was an honour and a privilege to be elected to lead farmers and he pledged to meet the significant challenges ahead.
“I want to unify farmers so that the collective voice can have an impact on decisions, whether they are made here or in Brussels. The debate on climate action has portrayed farming in a negative light and we have to change that,” he said.
Alice Doyle from Wexford is the new Deputy President. It’s the first time in the history of IFA that a woman has been elected to the role of Deputy President.
In the regional elections, Conor O’Leary was elected Munster Regional Chair.
The outgoing Environment Chair Paul O’Brien is the new South Leinster Regional Chair. Brendan Golden, who has served his term as Chair of the Livestock Committee, is the new Connacht Regional Chair.
