The Government trenches dug in defence of Bord Bia’s chair Larry Murrin were deepened on Thursday by Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
Minister Heydon accused the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) of rushing out to protest before establishing the facts around the controversy that has embroiled the meat boss.
As a fresh contingent of IFA members were making their way to Bord Bia’s headquarters in Ballsbridge on tractors, Minister Heydon laid into both Sinn Féin and the IFA’s leadership on the Dáil floor on their positions on the Murrin controversy.
The IFA members were en route to join the protest outside the Bord Bia offices that has been continuously in place since Monday calling for Murrin to resign after it emerged that his company Dawn Farm Foods had imported Brazilian beef into Ireland last year.
This protest played a “considerable part in damaging Bord Bia's reputation” and that the IFA is refusing to allow its own county and committee chairs make use of Murrin’s offer to brief them, Minister Heydon told the Dáil.
Bord Bia damage
“The IFA's rash decision not to listen to the explanation and to rush straight out to protest - it had its mind made up before the meeting that it was going to do that - has also played a considerable part in damaging Bord Bia's reputation,” the Minister claimed.
“We all have to work to rebuild that reputation. That does not mean getting a head on a plate. Government does not operate by mob rule in such scenarios.”
Larry Murrin sees the controversy around him as "emotional nonsense". \ Claire Nash
IFA president Francie Gorman said on Wednesday that the IFA’s national council “has a firm view that the Bord Bia chairman should step down”.
This was and remains the IFA position on Murrin, with the organisation’s issue with the Bord Bia chair not being the details of Murrin’s importation of Brazilian beef into Ireland, rather the fact that any Brazilian beef was imported by his company at all.
Sinn Féin takes stand
Minister Heydon’s shots at the IFA came in response to questions put by Sinn Féin’s agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny TD.
Deputy Kenny pushed for the naming of three Irish food businesses involved in a recall of tainted Brazilian beef supplies late last year.
Minister Heydon said that the matter is one for the Department of Health.
“Was Dawn Foods one of these three companies,” Deputy Kenny asked.
“I ask because we have a situation where the head of Bord Bia is also importing Brazilian beef. He simply has to go, yet the Minister seems to be absolutely determined to protect the well-connected rather [than] to protect the sector.
“The confidence of the farming community has been lost.”
“The Deputy standing up here calling for a head and for a witch hunt against someone who has not broken rules, and not wanting any debate and like the IFA, not wanting clear information out there, is not doing farmers any service. It is not. I am going to leave it there,” Minister Heydon responded.
More anger at Murrin
The latest statement from the IFA came from its deputy president Alice Doyle on Thursday after she read Murrin’s comments in this week’s Irish Farmers Journal, in which the Bord Bia chair said the controversy in which he is embroiled is “emotional nonsense”.
Doyle accused Murrin of showing “contempt” for farmers’ concerns in these remarks, which triggered rage from farmers who see their concerns as having been dismissed.
“His whole interview is dripping with arrogance with Mr Murrin hyping himself up and refusing to give due credit to farmers for their efforts,” she said.
“The main emotion farmers are feeling over all of this is anger and the only nonsense is being spoken by the chair of Bord Bia who is now a lame duck chair. He should go before he does any more damage.”
The Government trenches dug in defence of Bord Bia’s chair Larry Murrin were deepened on Thursday by Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
Minister Heydon accused the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) of rushing out to protest before establishing the facts around the controversy that has embroiled the meat boss.
As a fresh contingent of IFA members were making their way to Bord Bia’s headquarters in Ballsbridge on tractors, Minister Heydon laid into both Sinn Féin and the IFA’s leadership on the Dáil floor on their positions on the Murrin controversy.
The IFA members were en route to join the protest outside the Bord Bia offices that has been continuously in place since Monday calling for Murrin to resign after it emerged that his company Dawn Farm Foods had imported Brazilian beef into Ireland last year.
This protest played a “considerable part in damaging Bord Bia's reputation” and that the IFA is refusing to allow its own county and committee chairs make use of Murrin’s offer to brief them, Minister Heydon told the Dáil.
Bord Bia damage
“The IFA's rash decision not to listen to the explanation and to rush straight out to protest - it had its mind made up before the meeting that it was going to do that - has also played a considerable part in damaging Bord Bia's reputation,” the Minister claimed.
“We all have to work to rebuild that reputation. That does not mean getting a head on a plate. Government does not operate by mob rule in such scenarios.”
Larry Murrin sees the controversy around him as "emotional nonsense". \ Claire Nash
IFA president Francie Gorman said on Wednesday that the IFA’s national council “has a firm view that the Bord Bia chairman should step down”.
This was and remains the IFA position on Murrin, with the organisation’s issue with the Bord Bia chair not being the details of Murrin’s importation of Brazilian beef into Ireland, rather the fact that any Brazilian beef was imported by his company at all.
Sinn Féin takes stand
Minister Heydon’s shots at the IFA came in response to questions put by Sinn Féin’s agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny TD.
Deputy Kenny pushed for the naming of three Irish food businesses involved in a recall of tainted Brazilian beef supplies late last year.
Minister Heydon said that the matter is one for the Department of Health.
“Was Dawn Foods one of these three companies,” Deputy Kenny asked.
“I ask because we have a situation where the head of Bord Bia is also importing Brazilian beef. He simply has to go, yet the Minister seems to be absolutely determined to protect the well-connected rather [than] to protect the sector.
“The confidence of the farming community has been lost.”
“The Deputy standing up here calling for a head and for a witch hunt against someone who has not broken rules, and not wanting any debate and like the IFA, not wanting clear information out there, is not doing farmers any service. It is not. I am going to leave it there,” Minister Heydon responded.
More anger at Murrin
The latest statement from the IFA came from its deputy president Alice Doyle on Thursday after she read Murrin’s comments in this week’s Irish Farmers Journal, in which the Bord Bia chair said the controversy in which he is embroiled is “emotional nonsense”.
Doyle accused Murrin of showing “contempt” for farmers’ concerns in these remarks, which triggered rage from farmers who see their concerns as having been dismissed.
“His whole interview is dripping with arrogance with Mr Murrin hyping himself up and refusing to give due credit to farmers for their efforts,” she said.
“The main emotion farmers are feeling over all of this is anger and the only nonsense is being spoken by the chair of Bord Bia who is now a lame duck chair. He should go before he does any more damage.”
SHARING OPTIONS