A four-week sit-in protest by farmers against Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin came to a halt on Monday after directors of the food promotion body accepted proposals to break the impasse from Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
Murrin remains chairman of the board but its regular meetings “will be facilitated by another current board member” during a governance review sought by Heydon, Bord Bia said in a statement on Monday evening.
“On this basis the protest has been stood down,” it added.
Five farmers were pictured leaving the Bord Bia office on Monday evening after 28 days occupying the lobby of the building in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has campaigned for Murrin to resign because his food company Dawn Farms has been using Brazilian beef for some products.
The Brazilian beef imports led the IFA to accuse Bord Bia of “double standards”. However, Murrin refused to stand down and was backed by Heydon, who last week said he had “full confidence” in the chairman.
The Minister on Monday welcomed the agreement to end the protest, saying it was “now time to come together” to support Bord Bia’s work. The body delivers “important benefits for farmers and the agri-food sector” at large, he said.
Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin appearing before the Oireachtas agriculture committee in February. Photograph: Oireachtas TV/PA Wire
The statements from Bord Bia and Heydon followed a long meeting of the promotion body’s board in Ballsbridge.
In a social media post, the IFA said more than 50 tractors were driven to the office in central Dublin before the meeting to “show farmers’ anger is growing the longer this situation remains unresolved”. IFA president Francie Gorman had praised the occupying farmers.
Gorman said the protest had been stood down “until the review is complete” and while Murrin is not chairing board meetings.
“These farmers are heroes. They have sacrificed so much for their fellow farmers as have those who have kept a 24-hour rolling protest going outside,” he added.
“IFA had put a proposal to the board ten days ago that identified seven strands that should be examined and that the chair would step aside while these are being considered. This was the basis of today’s outcome.”
Heydon last week said 140 Bord Bia staff were unable to attend the office for their work “as a result of the continued occupation” by IFA protesters.
After Monday’s board meeting, Bord Bia said terms of reference for the governance review had been agreed.
“This review will be commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and is to be completed by April 30th, 2026.”
The statement said the normal schedule of Bord Bia board meetings will continue during the review period.
The continuation of board meetings marked a change from the original plan set out by Heydon, who last week suggested “the board would not meet again until the review is complete”.
“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,” Heydon said.
In line with Bord Bia’s statement, he noted Murrin would stay on as chairman but that board meetings during the review will facilitated by another director.
“Bord Bia are also progressing a new Farmers Forum which will provide an opportunity for renewed engagement between farmers and Bord Bia.”