Board of Self Help discusses proposals to resolve feud

The board of troubled aid agency Self Help Development International has met to discuss proposals aimed at resolving the feud within the organisation.

Under a peace deal reached at a meeting between Self Help and Irish Farmers' Association representatives last month, the agency agreed to withdraw a complaint it had made to gardaí that its computers had been hacked into as part of the dispute with former supporters.

It also agreed to allow a free vote to elect a new chair for the aid agency as well as co-opting two new members. The current chairman, Liam Reynolds, was elected at last Monday's board meeting, defeating Joe O'Dwyer by five votes to three.

For its part, the IFA has agreed to drop internal moves to end its long-running association with the agency which specialises in farmer-to-farmer aid in African countries. A motion calling on the IFA to break links with Self Help was tabled recently at a meeting of the IFA national council, but was deferred for consideration at a later meeting.

Under the agreement the IFA has also agreed to inform Irish Aid about the resolution reached with Self Help, and to make a public statement on the matter after the proposed changes have been implemented.

The Irish Times understands that Minister of State for Development Co-operation Conor Lenihan last week approved the payment of €980,000 to the agency, representing the final tranche of its grant aid from Irish Aid this year.

This payment had been withheld for some months after critics of Self Help, including the IFA, complained about the manner in which the agency was being run.