Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has called on the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) to de-escalate its protest action at Bord Bia headquarters after members of the association entered the Bord Bia building in Dublin on Tuesday.
“Occupying and blocking a place of work is never acceptable. Bord Bia represent[s] the entire Irish food and drink Industry in Ireland, which is worth over €21bn to our farmers and Irish food companies.
“Blocking the building impacts all of the work Bord Bia [carries] out and is not in farmers’ best interests,” Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal.
The escalation in the action came on day nine of the IFA's protest at Bord Bia, where it is calling for its chair Larry Murrin to be removed from his position.
The Minister said that the concerns being expressed in relation to the operation of Bord Bia need to be viewed in the overall context of Ireland’s ongoing efforts to manage the response to the recent outbreak of bluetongue virus in cattle in Ireland and negotiating the next CAP.
The Minister met with European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen and European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin on the CAP and its funding on Tuesday.
Oireachtas
“In a week where matters will be discussed in the Oireachtas, including an appearance by the chair of Bord Bia at the joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture this Thursday, I call on the IFA to de-escalate this latest action and allow their members the space to listen to the details of this matter be debated in the Oireachtas over the course of this week,” the Minister said.
Speaking on The Last Word on Today FM, the Minister reiterated that he has full confidence in Larry Murrin.
He said Thursday’s Oireachtas hearing “allows space for a more reasoned debate that has been absent from the commentary” on the matter thus far.
False pretences
A Bord Bia spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal that farmers entered the building under false pretences and then refused to leave.
“These actions reflect poorly on the IFA and escalates a matter which can only be resolved through dialogue.
“Bord Bia has formally asked the protesters to leave the building. They have refused to do so,” the spokesperson added.
Read more
Farmers entered the building under false pretences – Bord Bia
IFA enters Bord Bia HQ as protest escalates
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has called on the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) to de-escalate its protest action at Bord Bia headquarters after members of the association entered the Bord Bia building in Dublin on Tuesday.
“Occupying and blocking a place of work is never acceptable. Bord Bia represent[s] the entire Irish food and drink Industry in Ireland, which is worth over €21bn to our farmers and Irish food companies.
“Blocking the building impacts all of the work Bord Bia [carries] out and is not in farmers’ best interests,” Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal.
The escalation in the action came on day nine of the IFA's protest at Bord Bia, where it is calling for its chair Larry Murrin to be removed from his position.
The Minister said that the concerns being expressed in relation to the operation of Bord Bia need to be viewed in the overall context of Ireland’s ongoing efforts to manage the response to the recent outbreak of bluetongue virus in cattle in Ireland and negotiating the next CAP.
The Minister met with European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen and European Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin on the CAP and its funding on Tuesday.
Oireachtas
“In a week where matters will be discussed in the Oireachtas, including an appearance by the chair of Bord Bia at the joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture this Thursday, I call on the IFA to de-escalate this latest action and allow their members the space to listen to the details of this matter be debated in the Oireachtas over the course of this week,” the Minister said.
Speaking on The Last Word on Today FM, the Minister reiterated that he has full confidence in Larry Murrin.
He said Thursday’s Oireachtas hearing “allows space for a more reasoned debate that has been absent from the commentary” on the matter thus far.
False pretences
A Bord Bia spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal that farmers entered the building under false pretences and then refused to leave.
“These actions reflect poorly on the IFA and escalates a matter which can only be resolved through dialogue.
“Bord Bia has formally asked the protesters to leave the building. They have refused to do so,” the spokesperson added.
Read more
Farmers entered the building under false pretences – Bord Bia
IFA enters Bord Bia HQ as protest escalates
SHARING OPTIONS