Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has given his full backing to Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin, stating this Thursday night that the Dawn Farm Foods managing director will continue to serve as chair of the State agency.
“He has my full confidence in doing so,” the Minister said.
The board of Bord Bia met on Thursday, with Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole stating that the board supports Murrin in his role. However, this support was not unanimous, with both the IFA and ICMSA calling on Murrin to resign after the meeting.
Murrin’s role as chair is to provide innovative strategic leadership and direction to ensure the continued growth of Ireland’s most important indigenous sector, promoting and marketing Ireland’s global reputation as a leading source of sustainable food, drink and horticulture products, Minister Heydon said.
“Mr Murrin has ably contributed to those objectives during his tenure as chair, informed by his years of experience in the food business,” he said.
Emotion
Minister Heydon said he completely understands the emotion for farmers when it comes to issues associated with the integrated nature of food supply around the globe.
“Recent debates around the Mercosur trade deal highlight Irish farmers unease for imported product from outside of the EU.
Larry Murrin, CEO of Dawn Farm Foods.
"We also must recognise that as a food producing island, we export 90% of that food and drink product and we depend on that very integrated trade. The work of Bord Bia is critical to that success.
Irresponsible
“It would therefore be irresponsible to just follow emotion in relation to the media reports this week regarding the chairman of Bord Bia when it is accepted by all that no rules were broken by him or his company. Mr Murrin has built a major Irish food company, with a range of global food brands,” he said.
Dawn Farm Foods is a significant buyer of Irish inputs and has added significant value to the sector as a whole, the Minister said.
“Mr Murrin has explained that the nature of supply contracts for key customers means that contingencies must be in place to ensure continuity of supply in the unlikely event of supply disruption in Ireland. I understand that explanation, and that the supply agreement in question is one which ultimately involves the sale of a very significant amount of Irish produce to an important international customer,” he said.
Backing the work of the board of Bord Bia and its staff, is in farmers best interests
He said that Bord Bia’s contribution to a record year-on-year increase in the value of Irish food and drinks must be protected, in the best interests of the farmers who produce that product.
“Backing the work of the board of Bord Bia and its staff, is in farmers best interests,” he added.
The Minister also said that he has always backed the farming community, citing the recent Government ‘No’ vote on Mercosur and the retention of the nitrates derogation.
Sinn Féin seeks resignation
On Wednesday in Dáil Éireann, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she wrote to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin seeking Murrin’s resignation.
Calls for Murrin’s resignation came after his company, Dawn Farm Foods, confirmed that it imported Brazilian beef in 2025. It stated that 1% of its supply last year was made up of Brazilian beef, with the remaining 99% of beef either Irish, UK or from the EU.
In a letter sent to Taoiseach from McDonald, she said “his approach as CEO of Dawn Farms sits in direct conflict with Bord Bia’s role to promote Irish food, particularly Irish beef”.
Read more
Updated: support for Murrin as chair not unanimous – Bord Bia CEO
IFA and ICMSA seek resignation of Bord Bia chair
Inside the Farmers Journal: Mercosur deal on ice and Bord Bia chair
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has given his full backing to Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin, stating this Thursday night that the Dawn Farm Foods managing director will continue to serve as chair of the State agency.
“He has my full confidence in doing so,” the Minister said.
The board of Bord Bia met on Thursday, with Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole stating that the board supports Murrin in his role. However, this support was not unanimous, with both the IFA and ICMSA calling on Murrin to resign after the meeting.
Murrin’s role as chair is to provide innovative strategic leadership and direction to ensure the continued growth of Ireland’s most important indigenous sector, promoting and marketing Ireland’s global reputation as a leading source of sustainable food, drink and horticulture products, Minister Heydon said.
“Mr Murrin has ably contributed to those objectives during his tenure as chair, informed by his years of experience in the food business,” he said.
Emotion
Minister Heydon said he completely understands the emotion for farmers when it comes to issues associated with the integrated nature of food supply around the globe.
“Recent debates around the Mercosur trade deal highlight Irish farmers unease for imported product from outside of the EU.
Larry Murrin, CEO of Dawn Farm Foods.
"We also must recognise that as a food producing island, we export 90% of that food and drink product and we depend on that very integrated trade. The work of Bord Bia is critical to that success.
Irresponsible
“It would therefore be irresponsible to just follow emotion in relation to the media reports this week regarding the chairman of Bord Bia when it is accepted by all that no rules were broken by him or his company. Mr Murrin has built a major Irish food company, with a range of global food brands,” he said.
Dawn Farm Foods is a significant buyer of Irish inputs and has added significant value to the sector as a whole, the Minister said.
“Mr Murrin has explained that the nature of supply contracts for key customers means that contingencies must be in place to ensure continuity of supply in the unlikely event of supply disruption in Ireland. I understand that explanation, and that the supply agreement in question is one which ultimately involves the sale of a very significant amount of Irish produce to an important international customer,” he said.
Backing the work of the board of Bord Bia and its staff, is in farmers best interests
He said that Bord Bia’s contribution to a record year-on-year increase in the value of Irish food and drinks must be protected, in the best interests of the farmers who produce that product.
“Backing the work of the board of Bord Bia and its staff, is in farmers best interests,” he added.
The Minister also said that he has always backed the farming community, citing the recent Government ‘No’ vote on Mercosur and the retention of the nitrates derogation.
Sinn Féin seeks resignation
On Wednesday in Dáil Éireann, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she wrote to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin seeking Murrin’s resignation.
Calls for Murrin’s resignation came after his company, Dawn Farm Foods, confirmed that it imported Brazilian beef in 2025. It stated that 1% of its supply last year was made up of Brazilian beef, with the remaining 99% of beef either Irish, UK or from the EU.
In a letter sent to Taoiseach from McDonald, she said “his approach as CEO of Dawn Farms sits in direct conflict with Bord Bia’s role to promote Irish food, particularly Irish beef”.
Read more
Updated: support for Murrin as chair not unanimous – Bord Bia CEO
IFA and ICMSA seek resignation of Bord Bia chair
Inside the Farmers Journal: Mercosur deal on ice and Bord Bia chair
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