Friday, 16th December 2016 – The outstanding contribution to the Irish co-operative movement by the former CEO of the Irish Farm Accounts Co-operative Society (IFAC), Peadar Murphy, has been recognised nationally by the industry’s highest honour – The Plunkett Award for Co-operative Endeavour.

Peadar Murphy attended the ceremony in Dublin (last night) with his wife Bríd and one of two daughters, Sinéad.

Presenting the award ICOS President Martin Keane said, “Peadar Murphy has made an exceptional contribution to the co-operative movement throughout his career and notably as CEO of the Irish Farm Accounts Committee from 1978 to 2004 and thereafter as a voluntary Trustee of the IFAC Pension Scheme.”

IFAC is a co-operative organisation providing high quality professional accountancy and advisory services on a cost effective basis to farmers nationwide.

“Prior to his role at IFAC, Peadar also served with distinction as General Secretary of Macra na Feirme from 1970 to 1977 where, under his management, Macra grew to be not only an organisation concerned with young farmers locally but into an important national body which concerns itself with all social and economic issues affecting farming families and developments in farming. Peadar also participated in the establishment of the Farm Relief Service.”

Throughout his career, Peadar Murphy has also been a very active member of the Agricultural Science Association, serving on National Council for 6 years and as Treasurer for 3 years.

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“At IFAC, Peadar undertook a major reorganisation of the nationwide network of local farm accounts groups which supported co-operative farmers in managing their farm accounts. All groups amalgamated with IFAC and all clients became IFAC shareholders whereas previously they had been members of local groups. A Board was established, elected by shareholders. Accounts recording personnel, who had previously worked for local groups, were subsequently contracted directly to IFAC. IFAC went on to set up its own Accounts Analysis Unit, a Taxation Advisory Service and it opened 20 branch offices around the country, serving the farming community.

“Irish farming has benefited from Peadar Murphy’s intelligence, drive and commitment where IFAC is a cornerstone of Irish co-operative farming and rural development. He has devoted an enormous proportion of his life and energy to the co-operative movement for the benefit of Irish farming in general and he is a worthy recipient of this prestigious award which is named after Horace Plunkett, the founder of the Irish co-operative movement,” said Martin Keane.

The Plunkett Award is the premier honorary award made by ICOS annually. It is presented to one individual each year who is regarded as having made an outstanding lifelong contribution to the co-operative movement in Ireland.

ICOS represents over 130 co-operatives in Ireland – including the Irish dairy processing co-operatives and livestock marts – whose associated businesses have a combined turnover in the region of €14 billion, with some 150,000 individual members, employing 12,000 people in Ireland, and a further 24,000 people

Ends.