The IFA and its former secretary general Pat Smith have reached a settlement five days ahead of a High Court case which was planned for Tuesday 27 February.

The Irish Farmers Association has confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that the organisation has agreed to pay a financial sum to Smith.

The settlement was unanimously approved by the eight-member IFA executive board and director general Damian McDonald.

The board includes president Joe Healy, deputy president Richard Kennedy, treasurer Tim Cullinan, Munster regional chair John Coughlan, South Leinster regional chair Tom Short, Ulster/North Leinster regional chair Nigel Renaghan, Connacht regional chair Padraic Joyce, and director general Damian McDonald.

In March 2017, the IFA’s 59-member executive council had given the IFA board the mandate to negotiate on its behalf.

The executive council was informed of the settlement at a specially convened council meeting at IFA headquarters in Dublin at lunchtime on Thursday.

Cases

Next Tuesday’s case was to be the first of two separate actions being brought by Smith against his former employer of 25 years.

Smith’s first case was meant to seek an order from the High Court that the IFA should pay him €2m, in line with an alleged November 2015 agreement with then IFA president Eddie Downey.

In the second case, Smith was to allege that he was defamed by the association.

A settlement has been reached between the IFA and Pat Smith in relation to both cases.

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Exclusive: IFA-Smith settlement to cost €1.9m