Sir, – It is with disgust that I read about the size of Irish Farmers’ Association general secretary Pat Smith’s salary, but it is with complete revulsion that I learn that I have been contributing to it, without my knowledge. I am not a member of the IFA but it seems that the sheep factory which I supply makes a deduction on its behalf, without my prior knowledge or consent.
The reason that I have not noticed this before, is that it is disguised as an EIF (European Involvement Fund) deduction and there is no explanation of this in their correspondence.
– Yours, etc,
RICHARD FOX
Kilcoole,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – The revelations about the indifference of the “top table ” within the IFA towards its members comes with some benefit to the electorate in general. It is a crystal clear example of single-party governance. Voters take note. – Yours, etc,
EUGENE TANNAM
Firhouse
Dublin 24.
Sir, – For 40 years I have listened to a succession of IFA chiefs demanding endless and enormous sums of money from the taxpayers to the chorus of “there is no money in farming”. As is obvious to anyone, there is and always has been plenty of money in farming, if you look behind the facade. – Yours, etc,
FRANK NEENAN
Tullow Road,
Carlow.
Sir, – I read with a sense of deja vu reports surrounding the enormous salary paid to the former general secretary of the Irish Farmers’ Association. Three years ago a similar controversy erupted in the Irish Medical Organisation, culminating in the departure of the chief executive with a €9.7 million pension settlement.
Unlike the IFA, the IMO did not feel anyone should resign over this affair. Furthermore, initial promises to hold a full independent investigation were abandoned. To this day, no one knows how this happened or who was responsible, and as far as the union is concerned that is the end of the matter.
Incredibly, thousands of doctors continue to hand over their money to the IMO annually. Meanwhile those few who continue to question these events are occasionally accused of being “contrarians” by some of their peers.
I sincerely hope our farmers do not allow their own recent controversies to be quietly forgotten in a similar manner. I strongly suspect they will not.
– Yours, etc,
Dr RUAIRÍ HANLEY
Navan,
Co Meath.