Council calls for removal of Bord Bia chair for "period of time"

Elected representatives of Roscommon County Council have called on the chairperson of An Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, to "step aside" for a period of time to allow negotiations with the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA), aimed at resolving the current Brazilian meat import impasse, to be resolved.

The IFA is currently engaged in ongoing negotiations and protests aimed at removing Murrin from his role, citing what it says are conflicts of interest regarding his company Dawn Farm's importation of Brazilian beef.

The motion was raised by Cllr Laurence Fallon at the February meeting of the local authority, the Athlone Municipal District member describing the situation as "very serious".

"The ongoing situation must be resolved as a matter of urgency. The chairperson is not suitable for the role as it stands. His company has imported Brazilian meat and this undermines Irish farmers and the Quality Assurance (QA) scheme.

"We, in the farming community, are penalised if we do not meet the quality standards expected of our produce. This is not a voluntary scheme and, as farmers, we have no option but to be a part of it if we want to avail of Government grants," Cllr Fallon said.

Cllr Fallon reiterated his view that the chairperson "needed to step aside" with immediate effect.

"Members of the IFA are continuing their protest outside An Bord Bia headquarters in Dublin. They have to be commended for their actions and their stance on this serious issue. If Mr Murrin remains in his position he is putting the entire food industry into crisis.

"Taking all this into consideration, we must write to the Minister for Agriculture and Mr Murrin and request he stands down for a period of time to allow negotiation aimed at resolving this issue to continue. It is intolerable to think the untold damage he is doing while remaining in his role," Cllr Fallon stated.

Moore-based Councillor Valerie Duffy said she was "100%" behind the farmers as the current stalemate continued.

"I think we all stand in solidarity with our local farmers on this matter. There is a cloud now hanging over An Bord Bia and its reputation is being damaged if the chairperson doesn't step aside from his role," Cllr Duffy added.

Cllr Emer Kelly said she was in "full support of the IFA and its endeavours" as it continues its rolling protest at An Bord Bia headquarters.

"This has implications not just for agriculture but all society. We are globally renowned for our beef exports. Unregulated antibiotics are being used in Brazilian produced beef which falls below the quality standard required for Irish farmers," Cllr Kelly stated.

Curraghboy Councillor Tony Ward said the motion "didn't go far enough" and added that the chairperson was "no longer retainable in his role".

"There is a conflict of interest there while he remains as chairperson and I believe that he should be permanently removed from his position. He should pick up his P45 and move on," Cllr Ward stated.

Cllr Ward's view was echoed by Cllr Nigel Dineen who said that the Government "needed to step in" and remove Mr Murrin from his role.

"It's completely wrong what is going on in An Bord Bia. They are supposed to be representing the Irish farmers, but the present situation is just so wrong," an exasperated Cllr Dineen said.

On the close of the motion, the elected members requested that the council executive write to Mr Murrin requesting that he "step aside for a period of time to allow negotiations between the IFA and An Bord Bia progress".

A letter will also issue from Roscommon County Council to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, requesting Mr Murrin's temporary removal from his role "to allow a review of to take place".

The council will write a third letter to the IFA calling on the association to "stop its protest if Mr Murrin steps aside for a period of time" to allow negotiations take place.