Jackie bows out

Jackie made a successful transition from farm leader to public representative. Having been president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) for six years, the Thurles-based farmer went on to become a local and then national political representative, as county councillor and then member of Dáil Eireann. In doing so, he followed in the footsteps of the likes of TJ Maher, a fellow Tipperaryman, who had been NFA/IFA leader for an extended period and then became a very successful and highly regarded MEP. Paddy Lane and Alan Gillis, also former IFA presidents, took the same route to public representation. Tom Parlon threw in his lot with the Progressive Democrats after his term as IFA president and was elected as a TD for Laois/Offaly. He went on to hold a Minister of State position in a coalition government between Fianna Fail and the PD’s.

Jackie Cahill is chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and has used the position to good effect, highlighting many issues of importance to farming and Irish agriculture generally. In recent times he advocated on behalf of Kilkenny farmer Dan Brennan and secured a commitment from Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to open a new investigation into the extraordinary pollution incident that plagued the Brennan farm over several years. We wish Jackie well in his retirement from national politics.