IFA plans protest in Kildare over Bord Bia controversy

Kildare TD and Minister Martin Heydon has issued a press statement in advance of a protest due to be held by the IFA tomorrow (Saturday, February 28) at his Co Kildare office.

The protest, 'Double Standards Protest Kildare' centres around a Bord Bia dispute, and is calling on all members to attend with “tractors, machinery and on foot” to gather outside Minister Heydon's office in Newbridge, Co Kildare at 2.30pm.

A number of farmers have maintained a sit-in protest inside the Bord Bia offices in Dublin 4 for the past month, in a protest over the chairman’s imports of Brazilian beef.

Despite calls for the chairman's resignation, Minister Heydon has pledged “full confidence” in Mr Murrin, who was appointed in April 2024.

Mr Murrin appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture on February 5 to give an explanation in relation to the matters raised.

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The Minister said: “There has been extensive engagement and dialogue in relation to this issue since it was first raised.

“I convened a Food Vision stakeholder meeting including farm organisations on Friday, 13 February. This meeting included a discussion on the specific issues concerning Bord Bia, where all participants including the Irish Farmers’ Association had the chance to express their views. 

“As a result of these discussions, several commitments were entered into by Bord Bia and my Department to address the issues raised.”

The Minister added that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will undertake an initiative to “enhance understanding of global supply chains for Irish food and drink and an understanding of labelling and food information for the consumer requirement.”

Feedback has been received from six farming organisations in relation to these proposals with work now underway to advance them, Minister Heydon stated.

He said: “The Board of Bord Bia met for a scheduled meeting on Wednesday, 18 February. Following the meeting, the IFA submitted a document, consisting of seven strands, requesting that the Board of Bord Bia commit to initiate a review process into the various issues that have arisen in recent weeks.

“Of the seven strands, many relating to the QAS schemes, a significant number can be dealt with by the Farmers Forum which Bord Bia is establishing on foot of the February 13 meeting commitments.”

The Minister said he is examining the option to commission an expert led Governance Review which would cover the other strands of the IFA proposal. 

He said he has spoken to the IFA President in recent days, and believes there is an opportunity to bring the matter to a resolution.

Minister Heydon added: “This protracted dispute is not in the best interest of the agri-food sector. 

“The Board of Bord Bia will meet again next Monday, 2 March and they will be consulted on my proposal to establish an independently run governance review to try to move this situation forward.

“The independent expert led Governance Review will objectively assess the matters raised and provide me with recommendations. I propose that after Monday’s meeting, the Board would not meet again until the review is complete.

“I ask the IFA to engage with these proposals in good faith, and to encourage the protestors still in the Bord Bia building to leave.

“In the meantime, 140 staff in Bord Bia remain unable to access their office for their normal work, as a result of the continued occupation of the building’s lobby by IFA protestors.”