An independent auditor will be appointed to examine the Beef Plan Movement accounts, Hugh Doyle has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The accounts have been the subject of a standoff between the co-chairs Doyle and Eamon Corley and the national committee.

On Thursday, Doyle said that he would like to clarify comments he made about the accounts in the current issue of the Irish Farmers Journal.

“I believed I had a full set of audited accounts, but I have been in contact with my accountant, who is also an auditor. What I have is an in-depth draft set of management accounts, which have to be signed off by the directors.

“I have spoken to another director and agreed to have the accounts independently audited. It’s important for transparency,” Doyle said on Thursday. On Thursday night, he said he had contacted all three of the other directors.

National committee

“The accounts will go to an auditor agreed by the four directors and then be presented to the national committee,” he said.

The four directors of the Beef Plan Movement Company Limited by Guarantee are listed as Hugh Doyle of Curraghtown, Summerhill, Co Meath; Kevin O’Brien of Barnaboy, Turloughmore, Athenry, Co Galway; Enda Fingelton of Grange, Stradbally, Co Laois; and Alan O’Brien of Oldcourt, Piltown, Co Kilkenny. All four are also part of the national committee.

The accounts will go to an auditor agreed by the four directors and then be presented to the national committee

Doyle said it was important to have the accounts audited “now that it’s emerged as a grey area”, adding that once the audit was complete, the audited accounts “can go to the national committee”.

He added that the current set of accounts, which include the period up to the end of September 2019, could be “pushed out” to include a longer time period if needed.

The accounts were prepared by John P Burke & Co.

Elections

The latest development follows a fractious meeting in Galway on Wednesday night when a planned Beef Plan county election has to be abandoned when it descended into a shouting match.

Further county elections are now the centre of fierce debate, with the co-chairs saying the elections should continue and the national committee saying they are postponed until an EGM on 26 January.

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