The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and Bord Bia have all said they are prepared to enter talks on clearing the impasse between the farmer organisation and the State body.
However, the IFA and the Irish food board seemingly remain at odds on key aspects surrounding the controversy that have emerged around Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin and the IFA’s bid to remove him.
The disagreement between them includes both sides suggesting that they had been willing to sit down and discuss the matter with the other over recent days, but that it was the opposing party which would not meet in each case.
A statement issued by Bord Bia late on Wednesday claimed that: “We have consistently sought dialogue and we remain open to meaningful engagement at any time.
"We sincerely wish to move past the current impasse, from which no one is benefiting. Bord Bia remains committed to dialogue over division, facts over misinformation and rebuilding trust."
Just a few hours later, IFA president Francie Gorman would tell the Oireachtas agriculture committee that the IFA had sought dialogue from Bord Bia, but that the association had been denied talks.
“We looked for dialogue on this, we didn't get it and we were forced to go to the doors of Bord Bia,” Gorman told the committee.
“When we were there, we had no dialogue and that's why we entered the building - when the door was open, to be clear - and we need dialogue to sort this out.”
Gorman said that the only offer of engagement that the IFA had turned down was the offer of Murrin addressing its national council, a move driven by the national council itself.
IFA members protest outside Bord Bia's head office in Ballsbridge last week. \ Philip Doyle
The IFA leader reiterated that the association’s position remains to seek the removal of Larry Murrin.
IFA deputy president Alice Doyle echoed that Murrin no longer staying on as chair of Bord Bia remains the IFA’s main priority, but did also offer a slight alternative to resolving the stalemate.
“Our main priority is he must go. A slight alternative would be that he would step aside for a period, a long period of time to have this sorted, but our main priority is step down,” Doyle said.
Committee meeting limited
Gorman’s comments came at an Oireachtas agriculture committee meeting scheduled at the 11th hour to discuss “the potential for loss of confidence in the Irish beef sector”.
The meeting had opened with committee chair Aindrias Moynihan TD outlining the long-standing parliamentary practice not to criticise or make charges against a person or entity outside the Houses of the Oireachtas either by name or in such a way as to make them identifiable.
“This meeting cannot deteriorate into a commentary on Mr Murrin's evidence here last week, but must focus on the general issue of confidence in the beef sector,” Deputy Moynihan stated.
The meeting was held before the Dáil was due to vote on a motion of confidence in Larry Murrin in his position on Bord Bia.
Boardroom preference for talks
Francie Gorman said that the issue would be best addressed around the board table of Bord Bia and through the Department of Agriculture – but emphasised repeatedly that any discussions must be free from "preconditions".
“Can farmer confidence be restored with the chair staying in place? No it can’t and if I said it could, that's not going to change the position on the ground,” he said.
The man at the centre of it all - Bord Bia chair and managing director of Dawn Farm Foods Larry Murrin. \ Claire Nash
“But we do need dialogue. I think we need it without preconditions and I've said that over the weekend and I'd agree to that.”
TDs and senators heard that Minister Heydon had sought a meeting with farming organisations - the IFA included - which would seek to address the controversy around Murrin, but also other issues affecting the farm sector.
However, IFA director general Damian McDonald warned that the approach of bolting the Bord Bia discussions on to an agenda listing a “myriad of other things” was not the way to go.
“I think it would be far better off to take the bull by the horns and discuss the problem we have right now, rather than starting to have a philosophical discussion about the future of Irish agriculture where we have a burning issue that needs to be solved.”
That meeting is to take place at 1pm on Friday, with farm organisations and industry stakeholders to attend.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and Bord Bia have all said they are prepared to enter talks on clearing the impasse between the farmer organisation and the State body.
However, the IFA and the Irish food board seemingly remain at odds on key aspects surrounding the controversy that have emerged around Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin and the IFA’s bid to remove him.
The disagreement between them includes both sides suggesting that they had been willing to sit down and discuss the matter with the other over recent days, but that it was the opposing party which would not meet in each case.
A statement issued by Bord Bia late on Wednesday claimed that: “We have consistently sought dialogue and we remain open to meaningful engagement at any time.
"We sincerely wish to move past the current impasse, from which no one is benefiting. Bord Bia remains committed to dialogue over division, facts over misinformation and rebuilding trust."
Just a few hours later, IFA president Francie Gorman would tell the Oireachtas agriculture committee that the IFA had sought dialogue from Bord Bia, but that the association had been denied talks.
“We looked for dialogue on this, we didn't get it and we were forced to go to the doors of Bord Bia,” Gorman told the committee.
“When we were there, we had no dialogue and that's why we entered the building - when the door was open, to be clear - and we need dialogue to sort this out.”
Gorman said that the only offer of engagement that the IFA had turned down was the offer of Murrin addressing its national council, a move driven by the national council itself.
IFA members protest outside Bord Bia's head office in Ballsbridge last week. \ Philip Doyle
The IFA leader reiterated that the association’s position remains to seek the removal of Larry Murrin.
IFA deputy president Alice Doyle echoed that Murrin no longer staying on as chair of Bord Bia remains the IFA’s main priority, but did also offer a slight alternative to resolving the stalemate.
“Our main priority is he must go. A slight alternative would be that he would step aside for a period, a long period of time to have this sorted, but our main priority is step down,” Doyle said.
Committee meeting limited
Gorman’s comments came at an Oireachtas agriculture committee meeting scheduled at the 11th hour to discuss “the potential for loss of confidence in the Irish beef sector”.
The meeting had opened with committee chair Aindrias Moynihan TD outlining the long-standing parliamentary practice not to criticise or make charges against a person or entity outside the Houses of the Oireachtas either by name or in such a way as to make them identifiable.
“This meeting cannot deteriorate into a commentary on Mr Murrin's evidence here last week, but must focus on the general issue of confidence in the beef sector,” Deputy Moynihan stated.
The meeting was held before the Dáil was due to vote on a motion of confidence in Larry Murrin in his position on Bord Bia.
Boardroom preference for talks
Francie Gorman said that the issue would be best addressed around the board table of Bord Bia and through the Department of Agriculture – but emphasised repeatedly that any discussions must be free from "preconditions".
“Can farmer confidence be restored with the chair staying in place? No it can’t and if I said it could, that's not going to change the position on the ground,” he said.
The man at the centre of it all - Bord Bia chair and managing director of Dawn Farm Foods Larry Murrin. \ Claire Nash
“But we do need dialogue. I think we need it without preconditions and I've said that over the weekend and I'd agree to that.”
TDs and senators heard that Minister Heydon had sought a meeting with farming organisations - the IFA included - which would seek to address the controversy around Murrin, but also other issues affecting the farm sector.
However, IFA director general Damian McDonald warned that the approach of bolting the Bord Bia discussions on to an agenda listing a “myriad of other things” was not the way to go.
“I think it would be far better off to take the bull by the horns and discuss the problem we have right now, rather than starting to have a philosophical discussion about the future of Irish agriculture where we have a burning issue that needs to be solved.”
That meeting is to take place at 1pm on Friday, with farm organisations and industry stakeholders to attend.
SHARING OPTIONS