Independent Bord Bia review did not find 'any significant concerns'

The independent review of the Bord Bia Board has found no governenance failures but has issued 22 recommendations to strengthen the organisation following protests earlier this year.

IFA host a protest outside the Dublin Bord Bia offices. Photo: Finbarr O'Rourke

The Independent External Board Effectiveness Review of the Board of Bord Bia was said not to highlight “any significant concerns” regarding statutory compliance.

Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, published the review on June 12. The review was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture earlier this year and was carried out independently by Governance Ireland.

The review conducted surveys which indicated the Bord Bia Chair, Larry Murrin, was “viewed as providing clear leadership, maintaining appropriate focus on governance and strategy.” 

The review published a list of 22 recommendations for the semi-state agency to address its Board's understanding of roles, operating disciplines, board culture, resilience and crisis management and shared understandings as areas of improvement.

The review was commissioned following protests and calls for the Bord Bia chairman, Larry Murrin, to step down following the discovery that his firm, Dawn Farm Foods, was importing Brazilian meat into Ireland.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) held protests, and a month-long sit-in at Bord Bia headquarters in Dublin ensued. Further protests and other farming organisations also joined with protestors citing concerns of ‘conflicts of interest,’ which prompted the call from the government to commission an independent review.

The report said the protests were a “difficult governance stress test” that exposed weaknesses in its administration and prompted the 22 recommendations.

The department reported that the review found Bord Bia to have “an effective, capable and committed Board,” with strong governance structures and processes in place.

The report said that “not all Board members had clarity at all times regarding roles and responsibilities” and that members reported a recurring view regarding “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,” Governance Ireland stated in its report.

Commenting on the report, Minister Heydon said: “I welcome the completion of this report. I will be engaging with the Chair and the Board of Bord Bia, requesting that they develop a timely and effective Action Plan to address the very practical recommendations in this report, and that they regularly update me on progress.” 

The minister noted that Bord Bia has already begun increasing its engagement with stakeholders with the establishment of the farmer forum on Quality Assurance Schemes and the development of an Audit Ready campaign.

Concluding, the Minister said: “The work Bord Bia carries out in promoting quality Irish food and drink products, both at home and abroad, delivers important benefits both to farmers and the food and drinks industry. Having an effective and well-functioning Board is also important to me as Minister in ensuring proper accountability and governance for Bord Bia’s role as a non-commercial state body under the aegis of my Department.

I am confident that the implementation of the recommendations from this independent review will help to further strengthen the Board of Bord Bia in fulfilling its important mandate.” 

The full report can be found on the department's website under general publications.