Meath County Council has called on the Minister for Agriculture to suspend the employment of the chairperson of Bord Bia Larry Mullen “with immediate effect. A notice of motion to that effect was tabled at Monday’s monthly meeting of the council by Aontú Cllr Dave Boyne., pictured above. He said the call was being made “due to that person’s conflictual behaviour”. “That person is supposed to be promoting all things to do with Irish food, the quality of Irish food. That person is off gallivanting getting meat in from other countries so in my opinion he has to go. It’s completely against what he should be doing”.
The motion was seconded by Independent Cllr Noel French who said Irish farmers were operating to the highest international standards for food safety. “ I am concerned at the importation of Brazilian beef, some of which might not meet those high standards. When the integrity of our national food board is being questioned, it is a problem for the reputation of the Irish food production sector. I am supporting the call made by the IFA for the resignation”.
He said that Bord Bia was the State agency that regulated quality assurance in Irish food as well as promoting, facilitating and developing markets for Irish food, drink and horticulture producers worldwide. He thought it was a conflict of interest for the head of a State body charged with promoting Irish food processors to be importing and using Brazilian beef and chicken. Hormones could be used in Brazilian beef but these substances had been eliminated from the Irish food supply more than 40 years ago. Cllr French said “Irish beef is produced in Ireland and grass fed.”
Meanwhile yesterday (2nd March), as the impasse with the IFA still has still to be resolved, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon welcomed an agreement reached at a board meeting of Bord Bia which was called to discuss the current impasse. Minister Heydon 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.
Larry Murrin will remain as chair of Bord Bia and as agreed by the board and the chair in the interests of moving forward, during the period of the review scheduled board meetings will be facilitated by another current board member.”
“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.”
