Ahead of the final vote on the complex Glanbia deal, which takes place on Wednesday, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (Icos) has defended voting irregularities in last month’s ballot.

Last month 82 per cent of farmers backed the deal to reduce the co-op’s shareholding in Glanbia plc to 41 per cent, with 60 per cent of eligible voters turning out to vote. However, it later emerged that the number of votes cast exceeded the number of eligible voters by 32. In the case of the “milk shareholders’ vote” this amounted to 20 additional ballots, said Icos chief executive Seamus O’Donohoe. Mr O’Donohoe defended the balloting process, saying every effort is made to ensure an accurate procedure.

He said said while A2 shareholders, which are recently retired farmers, were permitted to vote in last month’s ballot, the discrepancy in votes cast was not due to votes being cast by A2 shareholders.