The total cost of the independent review of board effectiveness at Bord Bia was over €45,000.

The review was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) following weeks of protests by the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA).

Farmers claimed they could not have faith in the board of Bord Bia while Larry Murrin is chairperson.

The protests had been held by the IFA following confirmation that Murrin's company, Dawn Farm Foods, sourced 1% of its beef supply from Brazil in 2025.

DAFM has today (Tuesday, June 16) confirmed that the total cost of the completion and delivery of the report was a fixed fee of €45,100 excluding VAT.

A spokesperson for DAFM stated: "The department engaged with a number of vendors and followed the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) guidelines in awarding the contract."

Governance Ireland was ultimately selected to conduct the review.

Bord Bia review

The review found no fundamental governance failure but identified weaknesses in board culture, understanding of roles, and governance practices.

It put forward a list of 22 recommendations to address these.

The review revealed that it was clear that there were concerns that not all board members had clarity at all times regarding roles and responsibilities.

Interviews with board members highlighted a recurring view that there can be some ambiguity in distinguishing between the responsibilities of a Bord Bia Board member and those of a representative of an external sectoral interest.

"We feel there is a need for clearer and more practical guidance on the role of board members, particularly where actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest arise," the review stated.

The central recommendation from the governance review is for clearer guidance, stronger training, and a more consistent understanding of directors' responsibilities.