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Visitors Gallery, who represent thousands of farmers around the country, and who are not "emotional", but are extremely angry about this situation. Bord Bia has done amazing work promoting Irish food, Irish drink and Irish horticulture around the world, and it has played an important role in increasing … record volumes. The value of Irish food, drink and horticulture is estimated to hit €21 billion for 2025. We recognise the role of Bord Bia, its important work and the importance of the trade missions it is engaged in. The problem we have is that the Government

Bord Bia has done some very good work promoting Ireland’s food and drink around the world and protecting the reputation of those exports but that very reputation is built on the work that goes on in cold yards, calving sheds, milking parlours and small farms where people … constantly told that they must do more, from environmental to welfare measures that incur more costs, and all of this is under Bord Bia’s sustainable quality assurance scheme. Farmers do it. They comply and play by the rules. How does the Minister think they feel when they

want to be clear that I believe this motion to be premature, not because questions about Bord Bia are unimportant, because they are, but because we, as elected Members of the Oireachtas, have well-established processes for accountability. Those process are already under way. A motion such … before the House is hasty, risks politicising a statutory body and undermines the very scrutiny we all claim to value. The chair of Bord Bia is due to appear before the Oireachtas agriculture committee tomorrow. I welcome the fact that he is engaging in this process. That

rule for everybody else. Larry Murrin is well and truly under the protective wing of the Government. For the head of Bord Bia to be the head of a meat processing company that imports Brazilian beef is simply not acceptable. Surely to God some of the Government backbenchers … make sure people at the top are protected and will not face any accountability. There is an absolute collapse in confidence in Bord Bia among farmers as a result of this debacle. The loss of confidence is spreading to Government because it is going

upstairs and talk to them up there. He can go and meet the farmers who have protested every day outside Bord Bia's office, and listen to them. They will tell the Minister in clear terms that their confidence in Bord Bia and the Government is shattered … controversy surrounding Larry Murrin and Bord Bia is not an isolated incident. It is the latest. The issue should never have reached this point. It is clear that when it comes to standing up for farmers and rural communities, the Government has to be dragged

sure the Minister will agree that the chairman of Bord Bia is responsible for upholding accountability, managing conflicts of interest and maintaining high ethical standards. Surely, if the chairman of Bord Bia is importing Brazilian beef through his own company, that is a conflict of interest … serious matter. It is a matter of utmost importance to the reputation of Ireland's food and drink exports and our domestic market. Bord Bia holds Irish farmers to some of the highest and most stringent standards and conditions in the world through its sustainable quality assurance scheme

welcome the opportunity to address the House on the vital role played by Bord Bia in the continued success of Ireland’s agrifood sector. Agriculture and food are at the heart of our national economy and rural and coastal communities. The agrifood sector is our oldest and largest … produce is exported each year, meaning our global trading relationships and reputation are essential to the sector’s continued success. In this context, Bord Bia’s role is absolutely central. Through comprehensive quality assurance programmes and extensive market expertise, Bord Bia provides confidence to international customers and strengthens

position of Larry Murrin as chairman of Bord Bia is untenable. The revelations surrounding his company's importation of substandard Brazilian beef into Ireland are an insult to Irish farmers and have created a crisis of confidence within Bord Bia. The farmers I speak to in my constituency … Government through the Minister's handling of this fiasco. This is fundamentally about the double standards that are now on show. Through Bord Bia Irish farmers must meet the strictest food production standards while at the same time the organisation's chairman is importing Brazilian beef into Ireland

this dispute. There is hypocrisy and there are double standards. Irish farmers and their representative organisations have lost confidence in the chairperson of Bord Bia as a result of his company's role in importing Brazilian beef into Ireland. Larry Murrin continuing as chairperson of Bord Bia undermines … stated recently, Offaly IFA members as well as farmers throughout this country are really at a loss to understand how Bord Bia is failing to grasp the untenable nature of chairman Larry Murrin's position. We have another Larry causing problems in the beef sector. Can we just

move: That Dáil Éireann: notes: — that Bord Bia's mission statement is to bring Ireland's outstanding food, drink and horticulture to the world, thus enabling growth and sustainability of producers; — the importance of Irish food and drink exports to the Irish economy; — the importance of Ireland … animal health and welfare standards that Irish farmers must adhere to, and in particular the standards and conditions that are part of Bord Bia's Sustainable Quality Assurance Scheme; further notes that: — Irish farmers and their representative organisations have lost confidence in the Chairperson of Bord Bia

here looking down on us, waiting for decisions that should have been made long ago. Last week, I stood with IFA members outside Bord Bia headquarters where protests have continued day and night. Their message is clear: their confidence in Bord Bia has been deeply damaged. The controversy … tillage land if allowed to take hold. These farmers have been raising concerns for weeks. Their protest escalated to the point of occupying Bord Bia headquarters, driven by deep frustration at what they describe as inaction, warning that each day this drags on further erodes their confidence

welcome this opportunity to discuss Bord Bia. This issue goes beyond any single person or State agency. This issue goes to the heart of how we protect Ireland's reputation as a world-class producer of safe, high-quality food and how we as policymakers ensure the governance … structures behind that reputation are robust and transparent. Bord Bia's job is to bring Ireland's produce to the world. That would not be possible without the work of Irish farmers. The success of our food exports is thanks to them and their expertise commitment, energy

from the farming bodies around the country. There are a few things we need to put into perspective. Farmers contribute €6 million to Bord Bia. No one is knocking every part of Bord Bia. No one is doing that. There is a job for everyone … weanlings were not getting a good price. That is the bottom line. Farmers vote with their feet. Farmers put €6 million towards Bord Bia, and the Government gives money as well. There is legality and morality. Ultimately, if you lose the dressing room, you have a problem

much of that contract do they think would involve Irish produce? It is very little, I can guarantee. The Bord Bia board met on Thursday, 22 January to discuss the issues raised and the recent media coverage. I sought and received a detailed report from Bord Bia following … repeating that the members strongly endorsed the integrity of the chairman, the transparency of his business and his invaluable experience that has benefited Bord Bia and the wider Irish food industry. There was acknowledgement that there were no legal or governance issues at play. The board had good

agriculture, Deputy Heydon, is engaging intensively on these matters. I thank him for all the work he is doing. The board of Bord Bia held a scheduled meeting on Wednesday, 18 February. Following that meeting, the IFA submitted a document that consisted of seven strands and that requested … that the board of Bord Bia commit to initiating a review process into the various issues that have arisen in recent weeks. Many of the seven strands relate to the quality assurance schemes. These can be dealt with by the farmer forum that Bord Bia is establishing

Bord Bia quality and trust mark is something I trust and look for as a consumer. It means something to people. It tells us that what we are eating is safe, meets the highest standards and comes from our land. The fact that I can trace what … Transparency about what we are eating matters to every family in every community. Yet, we now have a situation where the chair of Bord Bia, an organisation whose own website states it exists to promote Ireland's outstanding food, drink and horticulture to the world

bike shed and there was no accountability. Another €1.2 million was spent on another security hut. We had the chairperson of Bord Bia in. He brought in beef from Brazil. This affects the farmers of this country who produce the highest quality food, setting the standards for across … feeds in to this. That person saw nothing wrong with him having his own meat company and being the chair of Bord Bia. I have been a self-employed contractor all my life. If I was working for the Department building social houses or any other project

need to state the facts straightforwardly. Larry Murrin is chair of Bord Bia. Bord Bia has done a fine job in marketing food, drink and horticulture from Ireland. However, let us also be clear that Larry Murrin is the co-founder and CEO of Dawn Farms … beef. The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, spoke about dangers in the future. There will be reputational damage done by the chair of Bord Bia taking in Brazilian beef. In fairness, the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, stood up in relation to the Mercosur deal. I know

huge range of significant issues are putting pressure on farmers. They include bluetongue, the new Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, the Mercosur deal and Bord Bia. Last week, the agriculture committee questioned the Bord Bia chair on Brazilian beef imports. There are very strong views on the issue … people around the table, face to face and talking. Is there some way of getting the various interest groups - the farmer organisations and Bord Bia - around the table to get progress on the current impasse

does the Taoiseach continue to bury his head in the sand? Farmers are in an ongoing sit-down protest in the offices of Bord Bia. How on earth can the Taoiseach stand over a Bord Bia chairperson remaining in place when every single farming organisation, representing the primary … insists the farmers must meet to sell their beef around the world. When will the Taoiseach wake up and remove the chairperson of Bord Bia

Minister and the Ministers of State know what has to be done here. Bord Bia is the body tasked with marketing our beef across the world and with overseeing the standards in that regard of all the farmers across the State. My colleague Deputy Martin Kenny referred … just ignored them and dismissed them to the point now that they have to have a sit-in protest and occupy the Bord Bia office. How much reputational damage has the Government done to Bord Bia at this stage? This all follows on from the way the Government

Five people are occupying the offices of Bord Bia at the moment. They do not want to be there; they want this situation to be resolved. In fairness, the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, in recent days put forward a proposal to try to resolve … offered a suggestion to the effect that the chairperson of Bord Bia step aside while a full review of the situation takes place. Will the Government please, in the interests of everybody involved and, in particular, the industry, which has been brought into disrepute because of what

Sinn Féin. Even if it does not matter to this Government, it will always matter to us. The failure of the chair of Bord Bia to read the room and resign raises serious questions about accountability. I have said it before and I will say it here again … accountability. This latest fiasco is just another example of that. Larry Murrin is the figurehead for quality in Irish food. He and Bord Bia are responsible for ensuring that quality standards for Irish food are upheld. How can he continue in his role when trust has been broken

move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "further notes that" and substitute the following: "— the Board of Bord Bia, including the Chair, is made up of 15 members from across all areas of the agri-food sector, and its function is to promote, assist and develop … last five years by 40 per cent, from €2.2 billion in 2019 to €3.1 billion in 2024, an increase of €890 million; — Bord Bia is carrying out its mission to a high standard, making its contribution along with farmers and the wider agri-food industry to the export

fingers to farmers, to the public, and to anyone who believes public bodies should operate with integrity. An Bord Bia demands the highest standards from Irish farmers. It inspects them, audits them, penalises them and markets their products on the basis of stringent quality checks and traceability … public. Farmers are angry because they are being undermined. The public is livid because we are being treated with contempt. The chairman of Bord Bia importing Brazilian beef while holding Irish farmers to the highest standards is a brazen double standard. When we put that in the context

Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he is taking to strengthen governance in Bord Bia and to ensure the chair and board members of Bord Bia do not have commercial arrangements that cut across Bord Bia’s mission

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the role of Bord Bia in the hot school meals programme; if suppliers are required, encouraged or incentivised to use Bord Bia quality assured ingredients; if any data is collected on the proportion of Bord Bia certified products used

Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific assessment steps applied by his Department before recommending or approving the appointment of a Chairperson to Bord Bia, including, the documents reviewed, the criteria used to assess external commercial interests relevant to Bord Bia's statutory functions, and the official level

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of beef sourced from Ireland versus the UK or EU by processors involved in Bord Bia schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13673/26

Food and the Marine in light of recent controversy, the way in which he intends to protect the integrity and meaning of the Bord Bia quality mark, in order that consumers can have genuine confidence that it stands for something better than the minimum legal standards for imported

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address the concerns regarding Bord Bia governance raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12275/26

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if beef imported for the hot school meal programme is subject to EU and Bord Bia standards. [11197/26

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine If he will review the governance structure of Bord Bia to include a statutory ‘conflict of interest’ clause that prohibits any board member from having a commercial interest in the importation of meat products from third

review date of the Department's internal governance guidance used by officials when assessing conflicts of interest for appointments to the board of Bord Bia, including the Chairperson role, beyond the general requirements of the code of practice for the governance of State bodies; and if no internal

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the frequency and format of conflict of interest disclosures required by his Department from Bord Bia board members and the Chairperson, including whether disclosures are required on appointment, annually, and on the occurrence of material changes; and the definition

number of times in each of the last five years that his Department has requested additional information, clarifications, mitigation measures, or recusals from Bord Bia board members arising from conflict of interest disclosures; and the number of cases, if any, where the Department directed that a disclosed interest

Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dates on which corporate governance meetings between his Department and Bord Bia were held in 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026; whether conflicts of interest, declarations of interest, or perception risks were discussed

Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether, since 1 January 2025, he has requested or received any written assurance, report, or governance submission from Bord Bia relating to the management of perceived conflicts of interest at chairperson or board level; and if so, the date received and whether

Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has assessed the potential impact of governance controversies on farmer participation and confidence in the Bord Bia quality assurance system; and if so, the methodology used, the indicators reviewed, and the date of the most recent assessment. [8224/26

targeted review of conflict-of-interest and perception-risk guidance for State bodies in the agri-food sector under his remit, including Bord Bia; and if so, the scope, the body or unit leading the review, and the timeline for completion. [8225/26