By Chris Ashmore
DONEGAL County Council has passed a vote of no confidence in the Chairman of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin.
This follows a motion introduced by Cllr Michael McBride at the March plenary meeting of the local authority.
Mr Murrin, who is also Chief Executive of Dawn Farms, has been the subject of considerable controversy in a row primarily over the importation of Brazilian beef.
Bord Bia is responsible for the promotion and marketing of Irish beef on the international stage, and actively highlights high Irish quality and traceability standards.
However, his company has acknowledged that it has imported small quantities of Brazilian beef.
Addressing the council chamber in Lifford, Cllr Michael McBride said it was “completely unacceptable” to have someone who is the Chair of Bord Bia that promotes Irish food while at the same time his company was importing Brazilian beef.
“At the very least, there is a conflict of interest,” Cllr McBride said, pointing out that a recent Red C poll showed only 16 per cent of people supported Mr. Murrin’s decision not to resign.
Cllr McBride also expressed concern that Mr Murrin’s company was also importing poultry, and also issues around his company being listed as a Bord Bia accredited company and being an Origin Green member.
The row regarding Mr Murrin’s position sparked off a wave of protests in the farming community, including a sit-in at the Bord Bia headquarters in Dublin, with one of those taking part being Christina Friel from Donegal.
Cllr McBride’s motion was seconded by Cllr Declan Meehan, who also expressed reservations about how Irish farming credibility has been affected by what has happened.
It is understood that Donegal County Council is the 15th county council to pass a motion calling on Mr Murrin to resign from his position.
The Government has expressed support for Mr Murrin’s position as Chairman of Bord Bia, despite the controversy.
The Government’s stance is that Murrin has not done anything wrong and that he should not be removed from his role.
However, the Government has acknowledged the need for a governance review and has committed to addressing the issues raised by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and other farming groups.
The review will include examining the governance practices at Bord Bia and ensuring that they align with the agency’s mission and the interests of the farming community.