Francie Gorman has called on Government party TDs who want Larry Murrin out of his role as Bord Bia chairman to reject any whip imposed on a Dáil vote due to take place tonight.

The Dáil is to vote on Wednesday night on a motion introduced by Sinn Féin as a vote of no confidence in Murrin, but which was amended last week by Government to a vote of confidence motion.

The Irish Farmers’ Association president said that he understood the necessity of party whips for votes on annual budgets or the passing legislation, but that he saw no reason for a whip on an issue such as confidence in Murrin.

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Gorman’s comments come just hours before farming organisations are due before the Oireachtas agriculture committee to discuss the “potential for loss of confidence in the Irish beef sector”.

Judgement call

“Government TDs up and down the country have told us that they believe Larry Murrin should not be the chair of Bord Bia,” Gorman said.

“However, they are being whipped in by their parties to vote for something they do not believe in,” he said.

“This is very short-term thinking by the Government. I can fully understand why we have a whip system for Budgets or legislation, but applying the party whip on an issue like this is wrong.”

The IFA president went as far as stating that “the vote tonight will mean nothing if the whip is applied” as he called for TDs to be allowed “exercise their own judgment and to reflect the views of the electorate”.

“If the Minister [for Agriculture Martin Heydon] thinks that whipping his party members in to win this vote is going to solve anything, he is very wrong,” Gorman added.

SF backs IFA

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on agriculture Martin Kenny TD also called on Government backbenchers to “do the right thing by voting to remove Larry Murrin as chairperson of Bord Bia”.

“Farm organisations are before the agriculture committee today and they will outline why it is so important for Irish farmers that Larry Murrin is removed from his position immediately to prevent further damage to Ireland's reputation as an agri food producer,” Kenny said.

“It was evident from the agriculture committee meeting last week that the majority of TDs and senators were on the same page in relation to Mr Murrin's future.

“This is not about political point scoring – it is about our reputation as a food producer on the world stage.”