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17 February 2016

Patrick Donohoe on 17 Feb 2016

Exclusive poll: broad support for Healy in IFA presidential race

At this point in the campaign, Joe Healy would appear to have the edge to be the next president of the IFA.

Patrick Donohoe

17 February 2016

Exclusive poll: broad support for Healy in IFA presidential race

Joe Healy pictured during the IFA Election Debate in the Oriel Hotel, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Photo: Donal O' Leary

Henry Burns pictured during the IFA Election Debate in the Oriel Hotel, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Photo: Donal O' Leary

Flor McCarthy pictured during the IFA Election Debate in the Oriel Hotel, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Photo: Donal O' Leary

Joe Healy’s strong support spreads across age, demographic and farm type.According to our Red C poll of 1,000, speciality dairy, beef and sheep as well as mixed grazing livestock farmers have said they will support Healy.

Joe Healy’s strong support spreads across age, demographic and farm type.

According to our Red C poll of 1,000, speciality dairy, beef and sheep as well as mixed grazing livestock farmers have said they will support Healy.

Excluding the undecideds and those who will not be voting, 55% of dairy farmers, 51% of beef, 52% of sheep and 63% of mixed grazing farmers have indicated their support for Healy.

Burns, who takes in 31% of the overall support, is drawing on solid support from beef and sheep farmers in particular.

This should come as no great surprise, as Burns is the current chair of IFA’s livestock committee and is the former chair of IFA’s sheep committee.

A total of 36% of beef farmers said they will support Burns, while 33% of sheep farmers have said they will support him.

Burns has 36% support from dairy and 25% from mixed grazing farmers.

McCarthy, who is IFA’s rural development chair, has 19% of support from dairy farmers, 13% from beef, 15% from sheep and 12% from mixed grazing livestock.

Patrick Donohoe and Pat O’Toole of the Irish Farmers Journal news desk discuss the poll’s results in our podcast below:

Looking at the age demographics, Healy again has the edge. The demographics are split into 18 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54 and over 55.

Healy’s strongest support comes in the 35-to-44 age category, where 60% said they want him to lead the IFA.

Examining the regions, Burns, from Co Laois, has strong support in Leinster at 49% with 22% in Munster and 27% in Connacht/Ulster.

Healy, from Co Galway, has most support in Connacht Ulster with 64%, 45% in Leinster and 45% in Munster. McCarthy, from Co Kerry, shows 33% support in Munster.

Despite the move away from the weighted voting system to one member, one vote, Munster will have the majority of votes in the IFA election. Traditionally, as much as 40% of the vote in IFA national elections have come from Munster.

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