Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has slammed the IFA after damage was inflicted on his constituency office in Newbridge at a protest on Saturday.
The Minister has made a complaint to Gardaí over the theft of two signs from the office which occured at the protest. A spokesperson for the Minister also told the Irish Farmers Journal that he has “flagged” comments made by IFA deputy president Alice Doyle last week where she said the ongoing dispute between the IFA and Bord Bia is “probably a war”.
“It is disappointing that farmers are been denied the detail at the heart this issue, by the leadership of the IFA,” the Minister said.
“This whipping up of business deals, which are very explainable and ultimately in Irish farmers best interests, is wreckless and has led to a situation where damage is being inflicted on my constituency office.
“This is not something you normally associate with IFA protests,” he said.
Proper consideration
He called on the IFA national council to give proper consideration to the proposal that he put forward on Thursday evening in response to the farm organisations submissions.
The protest outside Minister Heydon's constituency office on Saturday. \ Philip Doyle
This proposal is in the form of an expert-led governance review to examine the IFA’s proposals to resolve the row between the farm body and State agency.
“An independent governance review is what the IFA and other farm organisations have asked for. The board could agree to not meet for the entirety of the review period giving time and space for the questions raised about conflicts of interest etc to be independently examined and adjudicated on.
“I very much would like to see the protesters be able to return home to their farms and their families while that review takes place. That is in everyone’s best interests and the best interests of the Irish agri food sector,” he said.
Board meeting
The Minister’s comments come as the board of Bord Bia is to meet this Monday morning at Bord Bia headquarters in Pembroke Road.
Chair of the board Larry Murrin entered the building through a separate door to the front door, bypassing the farmer protesters.
It is understood that there was much back and forth between the IFA and Bord Bia over the weekend to try and break the impasse ahead of the meeting which kicks off at 10am.
The meeting will centre around whether a resolution can be found to end the month-long protest.
Read more
IFA stand-off with Bord Bia is probably a war – Doyle
Opinion: Newbridge protest has farmers going round in circles
Inside the Farmers Journal: bluetongue woes and IFA declares war
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has slammed the IFA after damage was inflicted on his constituency office in Newbridge at a protest on Saturday.
The Minister has made a complaint to Gardaí over the theft of two signs from the office which occured at the protest. A spokesperson for the Minister also told the Irish Farmers Journal that he has “flagged” comments made by IFA deputy president Alice Doyle last week where she said the ongoing dispute between the IFA and Bord Bia is “probably a war”.
“It is disappointing that farmers are been denied the detail at the heart this issue, by the leadership of the IFA,” the Minister said.
“This whipping up of business deals, which are very explainable and ultimately in Irish farmers best interests, is wreckless and has led to a situation where damage is being inflicted on my constituency office.
“This is not something you normally associate with IFA protests,” he said.
Proper consideration
He called on the IFA national council to give proper consideration to the proposal that he put forward on Thursday evening in response to the farm organisations submissions.
The protest outside Minister Heydon's constituency office on Saturday. \ Philip Doyle
This proposal is in the form of an expert-led governance review to examine the IFA’s proposals to resolve the row between the farm body and State agency.
“An independent governance review is what the IFA and other farm organisations have asked for. The board could agree to not meet for the entirety of the review period giving time and space for the questions raised about conflicts of interest etc to be independently examined and adjudicated on.
“I very much would like to see the protesters be able to return home to their farms and their families while that review takes place. That is in everyone’s best interests and the best interests of the Irish agri food sector,” he said.
Board meeting
The Minister’s comments come as the board of Bord Bia is to meet this Monday morning at Bord Bia headquarters in Pembroke Road.
Chair of the board Larry Murrin entered the building through a separate door to the front door, bypassing the farmer protesters.
It is understood that there was much back and forth between the IFA and Bord Bia over the weekend to try and break the impasse ahead of the meeting which kicks off at 10am.
The meeting will centre around whether a resolution can be found to end the month-long protest.
Read more
IFA stand-off with Bord Bia is probably a war – Doyle
Opinion: Newbridge protest has farmers going round in circles
Inside the Farmers Journal: bluetongue woes and IFA declares war
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