€80k salary for Macra’s new chief

THE new Macra CEO, Denis Duggan, is in receipt of a yearly salary of between €70,000-€80,000, the

has learned.

The Macra na Feirme team, based at the Farm Centre in Bluebell, Dublin 12, are also set to grow from 14 to 16 members as two new training development officers are set to take up posts.

Sean Finan, Macra President, hopes a new CEO will bring new perspective to the organisation.

“Edmund Connolly served with great distinction for eight years and now we are looking forward to a new chapter with Denis. Engagement with members, the industry and key stakeholders will be prioritised over the coming months,” he said.

As a youth organisation and a charity funded by the Government, Macra Na Feirme is part of the National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) — a support and development tool for the youth work sector to assess, indicate and enhance their work.

As such the organisation is embarking on the process of a full strategic review which they must complete as a NQSF requirement.

“That will fundamentally tell us what farmers want from Macra — do they want an organisation focused on training or one that continues to lobby on their behalf or do they want us to represent them any differently than we have done in the past?” he said.

Launching a campaign around the National Reserve which provides a top-up of entitlements for young farmers and new entrants is also on the cards.

“We intend to lobby at a farm organisation level, a political level and department level will take up a lot of our time,” said Mr Finan.

Last year Macra received over €400,000 in Government grants from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. It also receives annual funding from membership, 20pc of the milk levy from farmers and industry funding.