Statement by Minister Heydon on Bord Bia Update

Larry Murrin was appointed to the position of Chair of Bord Bia in April 2024. He was selected following a competitive process and appointed in accordance with the required corporate governance procedures for state boards.

Mr Murrin appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture on 5 February and gave a robust and in-depth explanation in relation to the matters which have been raised, including Dawn Farms supply chain contingency.

Mr Murrin continues to have my full confidence to serve as Chair of Bord Bia.

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 commitments are:

1. Revisit the focus on farmer experiences with quality assurance audits,
2. Establish a farmer forum to improve farmer engagement with Bord Bia.
3. Undertake a dedicated information campaign, to better explain Origin Green and Quality Assurance Schemes (QAS)

Furthermore, 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.

Following this meeting, feedback has been received from six farming organisations, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG), The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA), Macra na Feirme (MACRA) and Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) in relation to these proposals and work is now underway to advance them.

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.

In addition, I am examining the option to commission an expert led Governance Review which would cover the other strands of the IFA proposal. I believe an external, independent and expert led review will be crucial in resolving issues credibly and objectively.

There has been detailed direct engagement by my Department with the IFA at senior official level to discuss a potential compromise.

I have spoken to the IFA President in recent days, and I believe there is an opportunity to bring a resolution to this. This protracted dispute is not in the best interest of the agri-food sector.

It must be noted that according to the CSO the value of agri-food exports in 2025 was a record €20.8 billion. The growth in the value of agri-food exports over the last decade or more has been remarkable, from an export value of €10 billion in 2011. Our export destinations are well balanced between the UK, EU and international markets. Bord Bia has played a crucial role in that success of delivering outcomes for farmers from this by increasing the value of our trade and reaching more premium markets for Irish farmers produce.

Last week a written request to cease the protest was sent to the IFA from the Board of Bord Bia, the IFA have not stood down the protest. Rather they submitted a document requesting a review process into the various issues that have arisen in recent weeks. Again, many of the points raised by the IFA in that request will be dealt with by the Farmers Forum which Bord Bia is establishing on foot of the February 13 meeting commitments.

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.