Bord Bia protest ends as Larry Murrin stands aside for independent review

Patrick McCormick leads Christine Friel, Richard Moeran, Tom Byrne, and Teresa Roche out of the Bord Bia offices tonight after their four week IFA sit after which an agreement was made.

Protesters ended a month-long occupation of Bord Bia headquarters today after it was agreed that chairman Larry Murrin will temporarily step aside while an independent review is conducted.

The protest began on January 26, after it emerged Mr Murrin's firm, Dawn Farms, had been importing beef from Brazil into Ireland. Farmers called for Mr Murrin to stand down from the board, claiming it was hypocritical for the chair of the Irish food promotion body to be importing beef produced to lower standards into Ireland.

The Irish Farmers' Association organised protests outside the Bord Bia offices, as well as outside Leinster House, while Mr Murrin was questioned by the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee. 

On February 3, a group of 13 farmers entered the building, with five remaining there for almost a month, while the Taoiseach, Agriculture Minister and Tánaiste all stood by Mr Murrin.

Despite rumbling on for over a month, more than 1,500 farmers attended a protest outside Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon's office in Co Kildare on Saturday.

Following that demonstration, an emergency board meeting was held today, on Monday, March 2, to attempt to resolve the impasse.

IFA president Francie Gorman confirmed the association had agreed to stand down their protest until the review is complete and while Larry Murrin is not chairing board meetings.

"These farmers are heroes. They have sacrificed so much for their fellow farmers as have those who have kept a 24-hour rolling protest going outside," he said, referring to the five protesters as they left the building on Monday night.

Mr Heydon said he welcomed the agreement reached at the meeting.

He said: “I am pleased that my proposal for an independent governance review of the board of Bord Bia has been accepted and that the ongoing protest has been stood down. Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin will remain as chair of Bord Bia but will not chair the meetings during the review period.

"Bord Bia are also progressing a new Farmers Forum, which will provide an opportunity for renewed engagement between farmers and Bord Bia.

"It is now time to come together to support the essential work of Bord Bia, which delivers important benefits for farmers and the agri-food sector as a whole."

The terms of reference for the independent review, to be commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, were agreed. The review is due for completion by April 30, 2026.

During the review period, the normal schedule of board meetings will continue. In the interests of moving forward, these meetings will be facilitated by another current board member.

Denis Drennan, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, which represents around 16,000 Irish dairy farmers, said that his dairy farmer membership would "undoubtedly" welcome this move towards the resolution of the issue and that focus must turn “immediately” to hugely important matters like CAP, bovine TB and especially the current collapse of milk price. 

"We have to get working straightaway on these pressing matters and, God knows, there are several of them," said Mr Drennan.