The two candidates for ICSA president, Dermot Kelleher and Sean McNamara, have reached a power-sharing agreement for the next two years after a tie in Wednesday night’s election.
It was agreed that Dermot Kelleher would remain on site as President for 2023 and Sean McNamara would take over as President for 2024.
Mr. McNamara will also take up a position on the ICSA Administrative Committee in the new year.
The two candidates agreed to work together “in the best interests of farmers and ICSA,” the association said in a statement.
They will meet Minister McConalogue first thing on Thursday morning to discuss the Food Vision Strategy and other issues.
Mr Kelleher hails from Inchigeela in West Cork where he runs a breast milk farm with his wife Mary. They have five adult children.
Mr Kelleher’s eldest son, Christopher, is now involved in the home business where they keep a herd of purebred Charolais cattle alongside the suckler cows and his other son Tim raises purebred Zwartbles sheep.
He was elected President of ICSA for the first time in December 2020 and has served as ICSA National Chair and Vice President of Munster in the past.
Sean McNamara is a sheep, dam and cattle breeder and farm based in Lismacaffrey, Co. Westmeath. He is the current ICSA Chair for National Sheep. Mr. McNamara is married to Eleanor and they have four children aged 19 to 25, three of whom are involved in farming.
He also has a livestock and sheep transport business and is involved with his son in buying stock for other agricultural clients and they are also involved in live export of sheep and cattle.
https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/news/power-sharing-agreement-struck-in-tied-icsa-leadership-race-42220863.html Agreement on power-sharing in race for ICSA leadership
