IFA protest over Bord Bia chair 'achieved nothing' - senator
A Fine Gael senator has claimed that the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) rolling protest over the role of Bord Bia chair, Larry Murrin, earlier this year "damaged demand for Irish beef".
The IFA staged a rolling protest at Bord Bia's headquarters in Dublin over several weeks calling for Murrin's resignation or removal as chair of the Irish Food Board.
The protest which began in January was stood down on March 2 as agreement was reached after the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Martin Heydon, proposed an independent governance review of the board of Bord Bia.
As part of this process Larry Murrin would remain as chair of Bord Bia but during the period of the review scheduled board meetings would be facilitated "by another current board member.”
However Fine Gael senator Paraic Brady has raised fresh questions about the impact of the IFA protest in relation the role of the chair of Bord Bia.
The senator said he believes "most beef farmers would be quite happy to see Larry Murrin returned as chair of the board of Bord Bia if we see stability or strengthening in beef price as a result".
Bord Bia
Speaking to Agriland ahead of a meeting of the board of Bord Bia today Friday (June 12) to discuss the governance review, Fine Gael senator Paraic Brady said: "The IFA protest did have a negative impact on demand for Irish beef.
"The IFA protest against Larry Murrin achieved nothing.
"You had the lead farming organisation of Ireland calling for the head of Bord Bia and global markets were affected by it and that's plain to be seen where we are now [on beef price] at this moment in time. The proof is in the pudding."
Brady highlighted that Irish beef price has fallen by more than 70c/kg since the chair of the board of Bord Bia agreed to step aside for a governance review.
"Sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot here; we scaremonger people out of eating beef and that's what has happened.
"We haven't opened a market since he has left and we have lost three markets and nobody wants to talk about it," the Fine Gael senator claimed.
"He [Larry Murrin] is the best salesman for beef in Europe and he has the contacts, that's a known fact," the senator said.
Brady added: "People were looking at it [the IFA protest at Bord Bia] seeing the leading farm organisation in Ireland protesting outside Bord Bia putting a doubt over our whole beef sector.
"That scaremongering and frightening it is damaging to the sector.
"Our traceability system here is second to none.
"A lot of beef farmers out there at this minute and time are suffering and the prices are suffering."
The senator believes that "if Larry Murrin is put back in as the head of Bord Bia and you see beef prices rising, there won't be another word about it".
"His record speaks for itself, we had a bumper year last year for beef.
"We've seen prices here in excess of €8/kg. His record is there; the amount of exports they had since he was appointed.
"The reality is there [are] farmers going to go to the wall if beef prices don't come back up," Senator Brady said.
IFA president's open letter
Meanwhile, this week, IFA president Francie Gorman penned an open letter ahead of the release of the report into the review of governance of the board of Bord Bia.
In it Gorman stated: "Farmers will not support Bord Bia when Larry Murrin is the chair.
"There needs to be a full review of Origin Green involving all stakeholders to ensure that Origin Green is robust, transparent and fair."
Gorman added: "There have been suggestions from many farmers that I should resign off the board of Bord Bia in protest at what has gone on.
"At this point, I do not believe that this would be in the best interests of farmers or in the best interests of Bord Bia as it will not help to restore farmer confidence.
"I am very conscious of the depth of feeling among farmers on this issue," he said.
