Tractors protest held outside Leinster House as Bord Bia chairman urged to quit

Fifteen tractors parked outside Leinster House on Thursday as part of a protest calling for the resignation of Bord Bia’s chairman.

The Dail also heard that Larry Murrin was happy to appear before the agriculture committee and that a date was being sought for the appearance next week.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) have called for the resignation of Mr Murrin.

The dispute arose out of Bord Bia’s responsibility for promoting Irish food and enforcing standards on Irish beef and revelations that Mr Murrin’s company Dawn Farm Foods had sourced 1% of its beef from Brazil for a contract.

Bord Bia’s chief executive Jim O’Toole said it was in the “best interests” of Irish farmers for Mr Murrin to remain as chairman, and Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has also expressed confidence in Mr Murrin.

But the IFA has launched a campaign against Mr Murrin, with the 15 tractors parked along Kildare Street in Dublin on Thursday marking the fourth day of demonstrations.

Mr Heydon said the grassroots members of the IFA were being “denied” a detailed briefing from Mr Murrin about the deal.

He was responding after Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny said it was “untenable” for Mr Murrin to remain in post and that “the writing is on the wall”.

He denied that it was a “witch hunt” against Mr Murrin but instead said it was a “witch hunt” against the sector.

After an exchange of words between the two politicians, Mr Heydon said: “Heckling is a Sinn Fein trick.

“The farm organisation currently protesting outside Bord Bia is refusing to allow its county executive chairs and the chairs of its commodities committees to receive the detailed briefing from that very chair about the nature of that deal that is being conflated and sold in a soundbite way to farmers.

“No wonder farmers are upset the way it is being sold to them, and the way the Deputy and others have sold this to them.”

Mr Kenny said Mr Heydon was “eroding the confidence of farmers and consumers” and said that if he were to stand by Mr Murrin “he will have to look at his own position”.

During Leaders’ Questions on Thursday, Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy said Mr Heydon’s remarks about the IFA were “unprecedented” and “deeply irresponsible”.

He said there was “a serious and escalating crisis of confidence” in Bord Bia and said farmers’ confidence in the agency had been “broken”.

Mr Carthy added: “All farm organisations are unequivocal – Larry Murrin’s position is untenable, confidence has been lost, and he has to go.”

Tanaiste Simon Harris said that they would not remove Mr Murrin and accused Sinn Fein of not looking for explanations or facts.

“You’ve come for a head and you’re not getting one,” he told the Dail.

“The position was go, off with his head, before there was any chance to even engage at all.

“I actually believe there’s information and complexity here that is deliberately being overlooked and possibly even suppressed in terms of your presentation of this situation.”

Mr Harris said the overwhelming majority of the board of Bord Bia had supported Mr Murrin after he addressed the board, and Mr Murrin said he was willing to appear before the Oireachtas Agriculture and Food Committee.

He also called on the various chairs of the IFA and ICMSA to meet with Mr Murrin.

IFA president Francie Gorman has said that the IFA National Council has “a firm view” that Mr Murrin should resign and that this position “won’t change”.

He said he had told Mr Heydon that he should be the one to engage with Mr Murrin and that he should also meet the board of Bord Bia without Mr Murrin present.