The Irish Farmers' Association will decide next Monday whether to defer a decision on major organisational changes until after September 1st because its president is recovering from serious injuries received in a quad bike accident.
Mr John Dillon, the Limerick-based president of the organisation, is still in hospital after breaking his leg while working on his farm last Saturday.
The Pallasgreen farmer had been herding cattle with his sons when the accident occurred. He broke his leg in two places.
An IFA statement confirmed that Mr Dillon would be remaining in hospital for a number of days.
"Mr Dillon has had to cancel a number of engagements this week and he has suspended the series of IFA county meetings on the IFA organisation report, conducted by independent consultant, Michael Dowling," said the statement. Mr Dillon had pledged to meet the chairs of every IFA county executive to explain the far-reaching plan to overhaul the IFA's structures.
The root-and-branch reform of the organisation had been driven by Mr Dillon. At the launch of the document on July 14th, he said the IFA had to accept the document in full and it could not be implemented piecemeal.
There had been quite a lot of resistance to the document which proposed a change in the voting system to elect national officers, a dramatic reduction in the number of national executive members and a more streamlined commodity committee system.
Mr Dillon had already met with senior officials from Macra na Feirme which had been upset at Mr Dowling's assertion that its role in relation to the IFA had declined.
The IFA had been anxious to dispose of the matter before the National Ploughing Championships which will mark the start of the presidential race by candidates to succeed Mr Dillon whose term of office ends in 18 months.