The president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, Mr Frank Allen, was re-elected for another term by the organisation's National Council in Limerick yesterday.
He was opposed by Mr Tommy Cooke from Barna, Thurles, Co Tipperary, but won by 41 votes to 19. The deputy president, Mr Pat O'Rourke, from Longford, was returned unopposed after his three challengers stepped down.
Mr Allen, a 48-year-old farmer from Galbally, Co Limerick, referred to the incident in which Welsh farmers dumped Irish beef at Holyhead. He said he would be meeting the Welsh farmers' leader tomorrow and would tell him their action was wrong. "This country was not responsible for their problems and the British government has failed to serve Welsh farmers, who have enormous problems, but they were going about showing them the wrong way."
He said Ireland was entitled to that market and could not tolerate what had happened. He felt the Welsh farmers' leaders were embarrassed, and their leader had apologised to him.