Tributes continue to be expressed for Joe Walsh, the former Minister for Agriculture who died on Sunday, November 9th.

Joe spent his early days with Teagasc in Moorepark and forged many friendships there. Liam Donnelly, the former Head of Moorepark Technology, said Joe was a man who 'never forgot his Moorepark connections'.

"He was a huge help to me in the setting up of Moorepark Technology. He opened all the political and administrative doors, arranged meetings with the then Junior Minister for Science Technology, as well as the appropriate sections of the IDA."

Liam said Joe also arranged and introduced the head of FEOGA (the European Agricultural Guidance & Guarantee Fund) and brought him to Liam's office in Moorepark.

"FEOGA is the EU Food Industry Support Programme and is the authority on capital grants," Liam explained.

"The real difficulty we had, was to convince FEOGA that we could set up a commercial enterprise in a non-commercial public organisation. To that end, Joe Walsh was of immense help and he continued to support our work at Moorepark Technology as it progressed," Liam concluded.

The IFA president Eddie Downey, expressed sadness at the news of the former Minister's death.

Mr Downey said Joe Walsh had a strong understanding of Irish agriculture and as Minister represented Ireland in the key 1992 MacSharry CAP Reform, the Agenda 2000 Reform and the 2003 Fischler Reform.

"In 2001, Joe Walsh also led the national response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak and his love of the sport horse and racing sectors was reflected in his commitment to the industry. He was also deeply committed to the development of the Irish food industry and was responsible for the establishment of Bord Bia."

Concluding, Mr Downey said Joe Walsh saw the value of promoting 'not only Irish co-ops and agri-business, but also strongly encouraged artisan producers at farm level'.

On behalf of the farming community Eddie Downey expressed his sympathies to Joe’s wife, Marie, and his family.

Joe Walsh was first elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South West in 1977. As Minister for Agriculture, he was best remembered for his role during the foot-and-mouth crisis in 2001.

Among those attending his funeral were former taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and former IFA leader Tom Parlon. Following Requiem Mass in Clonakilty, Mr Walsh was buried at Ahiohill Cemetery.

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