Michael Berkery
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
HONORARY CONFERRING
Monday, 1 September 11.30am
TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PROFESSOR FRANK MONAHAN, Dean of Agriculture on 1 September 2025, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa on MICHAEL BERKERY
President, Graduates, Colleagues, Honoured Guests, most especially the friends and family of Michael Berkery, whom we honour today.
Michael Berkery began his career with the Irish Farmers Association in 1978 as the Secretary of the National Pigs and Pig Meat Committee. At the age of 35, he was appointed General Secretary of the Association and held the position until 2008. Over that time, he served with nine presidents of the IFA and was chief executive with eight of them.
He was the Association's leading strategist and negotiator for over 25 years and is still regarded as one of the most influential figures in Irish farming. He was uncompromising in his pursuit of farming interests and is renowned for his political judgement and negotiating skills that greatly improved the prospects of Irish farmers.
With responsibility for representing the IFA with Government departments, the EU, State agencies, agri-business, and related service industries, Michael played a central role in all major developments in Irish agriculture during his tenure. He led the IFA’s most significant campaigns, from the pivotal milk quota campaign of 1983–84 to shaping CAP reform and securing the introduction of the beef premium and area aid payment system.
His leadership extended through critical trade negotiations, including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the 2001 beef blockade, and the IFA’s strategic approach to the World Trade Organisation. The impact of these efforts was substantial — the milk quota negotiations alone were estimated to be worth more than €1 billion to the Irish economy.
Michael played a leading role on behalf of the IFA in the first social partnership negotiations in 1987 and in subsequent negotiations. On his retirement, the then Taoiseach Brian Cowan said that ‘through social partnership, and the many other issues that he has been involved with over the years, Michael has been a highly proactive and effective advocate for the Irish farmer,and has contributed greatly to the strength of Irish agriculture’.
Michael represented Irish farmers at the highest levels including in the European Farmers Union (Copa) and the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, a global organization that represented farmers and agricultural producers at the international level.
Outside of his career in the IFA, Michael served as Board member of Farmer Business Developments from 1983 to 1988, and FBD Holdings Plc from 1988 to 2017. He was Chair of FBD Holdings from 1996 to 2017. As a Director of Farm Business Developments, Michael actively progressed the decision to go public in 1988 and this decision was instrumental in shaping the company that exists today.
Michael currently serves as Chairman of the FBD Trust, celebrating 50 years this year. Since its establishment in 1975, the FBD Trust has contributed over €50 million to philanthropic initiatives, funded through dividend income from FBD Holdings and Farmer Business Developments. Its core mission remains unchanged: to serve the common good of Irish agriculture. Projects such as the Padraig Walshe Centre at Teagasc Moorepark and the UCD FBD Agricultural Science Centre at Lyons Farm exemplify its lasting impact. The first project ever supported by the FBD Trust was at UCD’s Lyons Farm, awarded to Professor Eamonn Gallagher to investigate the use of winter wheat imported from Flanders to Ireland.
Michael was involved with Self Help Africa at the beginning, an organisation initially formed in response to the 1983-85 Ethiopian famine, that sent 500 tons of seed potatoes from Ireland to help farmers recover. He was appointed Independent Chair of the Review Group on the Future of Credit Unions in Ireland, reporting in 2010. He has also served as a Director of Enable Ireland for the last decade.
His relationship with UCD dates back to the 1960’s where he worked as a research technician under Professor J.B Ruane at Lyons Farm. Since that time, Michael has remained a strong supporter of UCD, the Faculty of Agriculture and now the School of Agriculture of Food Science, and particularly of Lyons Farm.
Throughout his career, he has been an advocate of science and a strong believer in science and education as a means of advancing Irish agriculture.
Michael is a native of Tooomevara in North Tipperary. He is married to Mai and they have 3 children and 3 grandchildren, all with us today.
Today we honour Michael Berkery for his outstanding leadership, his vision and for his significant contribution to the agrifood sector, to UCD and indeed to Irish society more broadly. It is my honour to present Michael to the President of UCD, Professor Orla Feely, for the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa.
Praehonorabilis Praeses, totaque Universitas,
Praesento vobis hanc meam filium, quem scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneum esse qui admittatur, honoris causa, ad Gradum Doctoratus Scientiae; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.