THE GOVERNMENT HAS won a vote in support of embattled Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin. 

Sinn Féin had tabled a motion calling for Murrin to be sacked from his role last week. 

The government amended the motion to give Murrin its backing, and that vote passed in the Dáil late last night by a margin of 89 to 61. 

Murrin, who is also CEO of Dawn Farm Foods, appeared before an Oireachtas committee last week to insist he was not involved in a conflict of interest after becoming embroiled in controversy surrounding the importation of Brazilian beef.

It followed revelations that the company sourced some of its meat from the country last year.

Bord Bia is the body tasked with promoting Irish food and drink around the world. 

Political pressure has been mounting on Murrin following the revelations, which were first reported by Agriland.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) have been amongst the groups calling for him to step down. They argue Bord Bia places standards on Irish beef that they do not believe are met by Brazilian farms.