Members of the Irish Farmers Association have said they are shocked and sickened over the level of salary and pension being paid to its former General Secretary.
Chairperson of the Laois Branch of the Organisation Pat Hennessy has said representatives were surprised to learn of Pat Smith's pay package yesterday.
It was revealed at a special meeting that Mr Smith received a pay and pensions package of €445,000 in 2014 and €535,000 in 2013.
Laois IFA had previously placed a motion of no confidence in Mr Smith.
Chairperson Pat Hennessy has said the issue is distracting from the work of the organisation: “Well members are as sick as I am, I know members on the ground and to be honest, as a county chairman, I would not have believed that the figures would be anything like that.
“The members are sickened because the things that we should be dealing with today, people who haven’t got their single farm payment and things like that, all I can say to people on the ground is I am as sick as they are.”