‘We’ve paid local farmers €400k annually in bonuses for last 15 years’ — co-op boss

NEWTOWNSANDES Co-op has paid out an annual €400,000 in bonuses to local farmers over the last 15 years, general manager, Dominic O’Connell, has said.

Bosses at the north Kerry co-op stress that they are willing to speak to any local farmer with concerns over the future of the business.

Speaking to the Farming Independent, Mr O’Connell also revealed his intention to “walk away” from the creamery once a new general manager is appointed in the coming weeks.

“We’re aware of their concerns and we have offered to meet them on a one-to-one basis but they won’t take it up,” he said.

“Their biggest problem is that they failed to get some of their members elected on to the board for the last three year and they are not accepting the statutory decision of the shareholders,” he added.

Mr O’Connell, who has been working at the creamery since 1973 insists that it is in a strong financial position. “We don’t see the need to make a large profit every year, instead we focus on paying substantial bonuses towards the trading of our suppliers, we have been paying out an average of €400,000 in bonuses to farmers per year over the last 15 years,” he said.

When asked about the position of former general manager Michael Liston — who still works at the co-op despite retiring three years ago — Mr O’Connell said he asked him to stay on as an advisor.

“I took over as general manager in July 2012 for a temporary period. I asked Michael to stay on with me as an advisor and a consultant until we appoint a new general manager and we are in the process of doing that at the moment.

“We will be stepping down, we’re well past the age but we don’t want to abandon the place either until someone is in place to take over. We can’t wait to get out,” he said.

“It’s a small minority who have issues, if they had bigger numbers they would be calling an AGM, they have tried to get members of their group elected and they have failed miserably,” he said.

He also confirmed that Michael Liston still occupies the same office he had as general manager. However, he said this is down to “convenience”.