The IFA Executive Council has taken an initiative in an effort to progress the election of the Connacht Regional Chairman, National Returning Officer Jer Bergin has stated.
Following a debate at the AGM, the Council decided by an overwhelming majority on a process whereby the nominations of the five candidates by their own County Executives would stand.
Each County Chairman is now to be invited to endorse one of the other candidates from outside their County Executive by voting 1, 2, 3 in a secret ballot.
This process allows for five new endorsements and any existing candidate who receives two such endorsements (quota) will be nominated for the position of Connacht Chairman. The new process will close by 3.30pm on Friday, 6th May.
Subject to the outcome being a contested election, the IFA Executive Council agreed in principle to a rule change whereby this election would be based on the votes of the members of the five County Executives and the weighted vote from the recent Presidential election would not apply.
The impasse in electing the Regional Chair arose when Strokestown’s John O’Beirne, who was the only candidate to receive the required nomination from his own county and another county, was later disqualified from the process due to the fact that he was not a full-time farmer at the time of his nominations. The associated rule was changed at the IFA AGM, and that will also open up the field.