Extension to appointments to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC)

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has extended the terms of appointment for Members of the Livestock and Meat Commission.

The terms of appointment of Oonagh Chesney, Harry Sinclair and Jim Lennon, have been extended for six months, to 30 June 2019.

The extensions have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. Oonagh, Harry and Jim were first appointed as Members on 01 July 2015.

Notes to editors: 

1. Harry Sinclair is a suckler cow, beef and sheep farmer producing Aberdeen Angus beef for premium markets and lamb for the UK markets. As a past President of the UFU, he has extensive experience of advocacy on behalf of the farming community. He has served as Chairman of the UFU’s Hill Farming and Beef and Lamb Committees. He has served as Vice-President of COPA and has represented the UK on the EU Commission’s Sheep and Beef Advisory Committees. He has also served as Chairman of AgriSearch’s Beef Committee and as a producer representative on the Red Meat Taskforce. Over the past three years he has brought significant experience of working on policy committees to the Board of the LMC and will continue to do so. Mr Sinclair is a Board Member of HSENI and this position is remunerated at £3,810 pa. He declared no conflicts of interest and confirmed he has no issues with the time commitment associated with the role.
2. Jim Lennon is a beef farmer specialising in the production of Aberdeen Angus cattle. He is also involved in the Derrynose Farming Community Group which promotes investment and training in livestock production. Jim has significant wider senior public sector experience shown in both his current role as Head of Corporate Service for Middletown Centre for Autism and various senior roles in the National Health Service. He has also been involved in local economic and social regeneration matters. He has served on the LMC Board since June 2015 and continues to bring his experience of the industry to the Board. Mr Lennon is also Chairman of the NI Blood Transfusion Service and has held this role from August 2007 and the current term of appointment ends in August 2018. This post is remunerated at £7,155 pa. He declared no conflicts of interest and confirmed he has no issues with time commitment associated with the role.
3. Oonagh Chesney is Company Secretary for Fane Valley Co-op Society Ltd and its group subsidiary companies including Linden Foods Ltd. She has an active role in the family beef farming business. She has represented Fane Valley on a number of bodies including the Area Based Strategy Action Group and cross community programmes in Armagh. Oonagh combines marketing experience with a good understanding of the challenges facing the LMC and, over the past three years, has brought her experience of red meat production and processing to the Board of the LMC. Oonagh holds no other public appointments. She has declared no conflicts of interest and confirmed she has no issues with the time commitment associated with the role.
4. The above appointments were made in 2015 on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. Mr Harry Sinclair and Mrs Oonagh Chesney have not been involved in any political activity during the past five years. Mr Jim Lennon has canvassed on behalf of a political party by helping an SDLP candidate to distribute literature during the 2015 General Election.
5. Appointments are made under section 1 of the Livestock Marketing Commission Act (NI) 1967. The extensions have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments NI Code of Practice.
6. The posts attract a remuneration of £6,485 per annum.
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