A plan by the Irish Farmers' Association to offer associate membership of the organisation to hunters, fishermen and shooting people, was deferred yesterday when complaints about the imprisonment of a Sligo farmer were raised at their annual meeting in Limerick.
The IFA had proposed to offer what some called "pavilion membership" to those who support country life in an effort to make additional revenue to replace an expected downturn caused by falling farm numbers and lower produce levies. "IFA Countryside" was to provide associate membership to people using the countryside. Membership would give access to cheaper insurance and a group telephone scheme but no voting rights on farming issues.
But yesterday when the matter was due for ratification by changing the organisation's rules to allow non-farmers to hold membership, two members of the national council raised objections. National Council member Mr Aidan Larkin complained that not enough was done to prevent the jailing of the Sligo farmer, Andy MacSharry, who is in prison for refusing to pay a fine for intimidating two walkers on his land last March.
Mr Larkin said he did not believe the matter should be discussed at this time and the IFA could be inviting people to join who might be opposed to them over issues such as live animal exports.
He told the deputy president, Mr Ruaidhri Deasy, that his late father, who had founded the IFA, would never have "signed a blank cheque" and there was a danger of creating a two-tier organisation where two sides could be at loggerheads. He was supported by Mr Philip Kinnane, a Co Tipperary national executive member, who said he would like to see a lot more discussion on amending the rules.
He said farmers had never been slow in coming forward with money to fund the organisation .
The meeting decided to refer the matter to the next national executive meeting and to also have the issue raised in the up-coming organisational review.
An IFA spokesman said last night that considerable numbers of people involved in field sports had indicated an interest in taking up membership of the organisation.
These were people who were involved in hunting, fishing and shooting.
In an interview in last week's Irish Farmers Journal, Mr Pat Smith, the IFA's director of organisation, had specified that membership was being offered to hunting, fishing, shooting and walking people.
However, it appeared yesterday that walkers will not now be targeted as potential IFA members.