The election of John Dillon as the new president of the IFA on Tuesday is being described as "heel against the head" because, not only does Dillon lack friends at the Bluebell headquarters, but there were also three other candidates in the field. Now even before he is installed as president, there are rumblings that the IFA's electoral system will be changed.
The problem for Dillon's opponents is that each of the IFA's 939 branches had a single vote in the presidential election, the first time the PR system was used, as there were more than two candidates. Thus many western and some Munster branches with as few as 20 members had the same voting power as the large Leinster and east-coast branches with 10 times that number. The debate has already started on how to change the system and a more democratic one-man-one vote method, is being suggested. The IFA membership, which has been exercising its mind on the whole electoral set-up, is unlikely to opt for another alternative whereby the leader is chosen by the National Council. Meanwhile, there are mutterings, especially on the east coast, where Dillon's opponents are based, that there could be a mid-term challenge to his leadership in two years' time. Such is allowed under the rules.