Laois councillors reject Government stance on resignation of Bord Bia Chair

Fine Gael councillors in Laois have called for the resignation of Bord Bia Chairman Larry Murrin, a direct defiance of the stance taken by the party leader Simon Harris as well as the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.

Members of the Irish Farmers Association have been staging an ongoing protest outside the offices of Bord Bia in Dublin for a number of weeks now calling for the resignation of the Chairman Larry Murrin over his company Dawn Farms' use of imported Brazilian beef.

Cllr Barry Walsh, Cllr Paddy Buggy, Cllr Conor Bergin, Cllr John King and Cllr Vivienne Phelan jointly tabled a motion for the Bord Bia Chairman to resign at a Laois County Council meeting on Monday, January 23. 

The Laois councillors have followed the initiative of other local authorities who have sought to show their support for the IFA through putting forth such a motion.

The Fine Gael councillors requested that Laois County Council formally call upon the Government to review and enhance the vetting procedures of potential chairpersons and board members of state and semi-state bodies.

The councillors said: "This strengthening of background checks is essential to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that no inappropriate practises are overlooked which could result in reputational damage to these organisations. In addition, we now request that Laois County Council, in light of the ongoing issues as highlighted by the IFA, call on the Chairman of Bord Bia to step aside with immediate affect."

Councillor Catherine Fitzgerald seconded the motion at the meeting which was attended by members of Laois IFA. 

Cllr Barry Walsh told the council: "Over the past few weeks, a serious issue has developed at the top of Bord Bia. Farmers are worried about double standards, conflicts of interests, and a clear breach of basic principals. These are not small concerns. They go right to the core of trust and fairness - values every farmer here lives by.

"Right now farmers and IFA members feel let down. They feel that the high standards expected of them are not followed by those in charge. When the integrity of our national food board is questioned, it's not just a problem for the board, it puts the reputation of Irish farming at risk."

The Laois County Council Cathaoirleach continued: "We are now formally asking the Chairman of Bord Bia to step aside. We're calling on a full independent investigation to begin immediately on this matter. This is not personal, it's not political, it's about doing the right thing.

"When confidence is damaged at this level the only responsible response is openness, accountability, and fair process which restores trust. The Bord Bia brand is known throughout the world. It's built on the hard work of Irish farmers, the quality of our food and honesty of our systems. That reputation cannot be put at risk, not for anyone and not for any reason. This issue needs to be solved quickly, not next month or after meetings. It needs to happen now."

Cllr John King and Cllr Paddy Buggy both attended the IFA's protest in Dublin over the weekend in support of the farmers. Cllr Buggy reiterated Cllr Walsh's points, saying "it's not about money but a matter of principal."

With the dispute ongoing for a number of weeks, the Fine Gael councillor urged that the only way to resolve the impasse is for Murrin to step aside. 

This motion by Laois councillors follows on from the recent Laois IFA AGM which was attended by some councillors and where local farmers expressed their views with the situation, many of which supported the IFA protest.

READ MORE: Government councillor in Laois calls on Larry Murrin to resign from Bord Bia

The Fine Gael motion was met with widespread support from other councillors, all backing the calls for Murrin's resignation. 

The party's councillors tabled the motion despite the Fine Gael Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon voicing his support for the Bord Bia Chairman. However, the Laois councillors have argued that their motion reflects the majority of people's opinions as well as support for farmers and consumers. 

Chairman of the Laois IFA, Henry Burns, spoke at the meeting and thanked the councillors for their support. Burns said: "This is the local feeling on the ground being reflected. You're the people that are closest to the ground and we very much value that democratic process." 

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He emphasised that public opinion sways in favour of the resignation of Larry Murrin as Chairman of Bord Bia. 

The Laois IFA Chair said that there will be a public meeting in Athy on Tuesday night, January 24, to continue the campaign. 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme