Limerick/Clare

Presidential candidates were given a baptism of fire with their first hustings in Limerick. The 300-strong crowd appeared eager to test the strengths of each candidate with tough questions on issues including the dairy bull calf situation next spring and the genuine farmer definition.

Reform within the IFA was also raised after one farmer stated: “The Beef Plan Movement was a result of the IFA not doing their job.”

Each candidate seemed to show their stripes early on, with Tim Cullinan appealing to the radical vote, Angus Woods branding himself a youthful independent and John Coughlan setting his stall as the experienced middle ground.

While all candidates agreed that reform within the IFA was needed, IFA members were less conclusive on who they would vote for after the hustings.

Claremorris, Mayo

Beef prices and suckler farming were the most talked-about subjects on the night of the Mayo hustings. CAP reform also struck a note.

There was a turnout of just 85 people in Mayo. Most farmers wanted to talk about beef and the survival of their suckler farms. No questions were answered with directness, but each of the candidates agreed the suckler herd must survive. Farmers were quiet, and frankly, it seemed that those who turned up, did so because they were already in the building for Peadar Tobin’s talk.

Horse & Jockey

The Tipperary hustings drew one of the biggest crowds of the campaign, with more than 250 packing into the auditorium and farmers perched on steps and squashed in the doorway.

Despite the throng, you could hear a pin drop during the speeches and question and answer session.

Beef labelling, the still quite raw beef protest debate and the fate of the country’s dairy bull calves were given plenty of airing. However it was the RTE programme What Planet Are You On that really exercised both farmers and would-be presidents.

Candidates and farmers were furious that the national broadcaster had given airtime to a vegan “diet-expert” and that Bord Bia, Agri Aware and pro-farming entities were slow to react.

Cullinan, on home ground, had plenty of supporters in the crowd but the response to all candidates was fairly equal on the applause-ometer.

Tralee

The Kerry hustings were lacklustre until Angus Woods claimed that Tim Cullinan remained silent during discussion on the beef protests at national council meeting in late August only to put out a press release supporting them the next day.

It added bite to the night, both between candidates and from the floor. Robust debate followed with beef protests, basic payment size and IFA funding and expenses the key concerns of members.

All was kept in check by county chair, Pat O’Driscoll who told visitors to Kerry, “this is a very civilized meeting tonight”. All five candidates mentioned supporting the suckler cow and the value of good environmental payments. They had prepped well for Kerry.

Ballincollig

Beef, calves and communications were the hot topics in Ballincollig.

The lack of backing for the beef protests from the IFA dominated the questions to the point where it seemed to drain the energy from the room.

The tense atmosphere of the 2016election in the same venue was absent. In fact it felt flat.

There was a measured anger to the questions but nothing over the top either.

The Woods and Cullinan tête-à-tête continued, with it now included in the Wicklow man’s opening pitch.

Cameras in national council meetings so the members could see who is there and debating the issues was suggested by Coughlan and Woods and could be perceived as a veiled dig at Cullinan.

Mullingar

Farmers in Mullingar were concerned about the effect of the factory protests and the backlog of finished cattle. They raised imported beef while the beef taskforce was also discussed. There were questions about dairy bull calves and unease over the future of the suckler herd.

The meeting looked at the future of the IFA and how it could be better run. Farmers felt there were now too many splinter groups with suggestions IFA had to accept blame for this.

There were calls for the organisation to fill the vacant chief economist role.

Tullamore

The threat to farmers’ livelihoods from climate change measures arose a number of times at Tullamore, probably due to the wave of attention on RTÉ and other media. Declining beef consumption in the UK and Europe were raised and vegans got a mention, too.

There was general concern about the future of suckler farming. The dairy bull calf issue was raised and so was convergence, with one farmer saying his single farm payment had been “decimated”. The running of IFA was brought up, as it was elsewhere, with one farmer saying: “No one fears IFA anymore, neither the county councils nor the Department”.

Dungarvan

A local election dispute was the main talking point in a low-key debate. Tim Cullinan as national returning officer was an involved party and was criticised by two people present, one an involved party.

Cullinan strongly defended his actions in the matter. Beef prices and the dangers of dairy expansion were raised, with dairy calves a concern for farmers.

Farm incomes were the common thread through the night.

Kilkenny

A dozen vocal supporters of the summer factory protests dominated the questioning of the candidates.

The candidates were asked why the IFA had not supported the protests.

Angus Woods said the current backlog of cattle vindicated the IFA stance, that there was no large price differential.

Tim Cullinan was critical of the IFA stance and said he supported the protests.

John Coughlan stood by the IFA’s decision, citing the €100m fund gained by its lobbying.

Carrick-on-Shannon

The suckler sector, CAP reform and forestry were the dominant themes in a packed Bush Hotel in Carrick-on Shannon. Speaker after speaker spoke of feeling disconnected and left behind. The need for a decent support payment for the suckler cow, for strong ANC payments, and for a higher paying agri-environmental scheme were all stressed from the floor. Forestry development in Leitrim, particularly by non-local and even non-Irish investors, was raised repeatedly.

Enniscorthy

With Angus Woods on home territory, Tim Cullinan was put under pressure in Enniscorthy.

His proposal to divide the livestock committee into two was criticised, with current and former members of that committee stating they believed the committee to be united and functioning well.

TB, with Wicklow a hotspot, featured. All three said that wild deer needed to be controlled.

Tillage and RTÉ “expert opinion” on reducing meat and dairy intake also featured.

Donegal

The Donegal IFA hustings mirrored the general mood of this presidential campaign and struggled to capture the imaginations of farmers in the northwest. This was summed up by one well-known IFA audience member who explained that he had never seen as low-key an election before.

The focus of the night from the 150 audience members was on the income crisis in the beef sector, the finances and future prospects of the IFA and the stance of all five candidates on tillage farming.

Athenry

The future of the suckler herd, dairy expansion and IFA reform were the topics which generated the most debate at the Galway IFA hustings. The meeting was expected to be fiery, it was the first hustings to be held in the west, however this was not the case. The deputy candidates were asked about what they thought about a suckler scrappage scheme, with both Brian Rushe and Thomas Cooney ruling out a cut in suckler cow numbers. Questions on beef labelling, Bord Bia and the future IFA were fired at the three presidential candidates. Members said they wanted more of a shake-up in the IFA.

Carrickmacross

There was little spark at the Monaghan-Louth hustings until candidates were asked their views on the 30-month age limit.

Angus Woods said markets such as China required the specification and farmers had to decide if they wanted in or out.

Tim Cullinan said he opposed them, adding the Minister had not argued hard enough to prevent their imposition. John Coughlan said specifications were needed but they must not be manipulated by processors.

Navan

Bord Bia was the centre of attention at the Meath hustings. Each candidate was quizzed on whether they would take the IFA president’s position on its board.

All three said they would with Cullinan adding the stipulation he would walk way if necessary. The possibility of a 15% pay-cut was raised by all three said that wasn’t a decision for them to make