SINN FÉIN’S SPOKESPERSON on Agriculture TD Martin Kenny has urged Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon to remove Bord Bia chief Larry Murrin from his position over his importation of Brazilian beef.

Kenny’s call comes after the state agency’s board moved to support Murrin on Thursday.

Heydon also came out in support of Murrin, saying he has “full confidence” in his ability to continue as chair. 

It follows revelations from an article in Agriland.ie which stated that Murrin’s firm, Dawn Farms, sourced some of its beef from Brazil last year.

Dawn Farms told Agriland that “Irish beef made up the majority of our supply” last year and that Irish beef, “together with the UK and other EU countries, accounted for 99% of our annual supply”.

The company added that “Brazilian beef accounted for the remaining 1%”.

In the wake of recent protests over the Mercosur deal, which Ireland voted against and which has since been referred to the EU’s Court of Justice, Kenny said Irish farmers have been “let down” by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

The president of the Irish Farmers’ Association, Francie Gorman, has also called for Murrin to be removed from his post.

Today, Kenny said: “It is simply not credible to have a state agency demanding the highest production standards from Irish farmers while at the same time its chair is importing substandard beef from Brazil.

“It is clear that Irish farmers have no confidence in the chairperson of Bord Bia Larry Murrin and he needs to go.

“It is incredibly unhelpful for the Minister of Agriculture to be calling farmers ‘emotional’ while he was stating that he had full confidence in Mr Murrin to remain as chair of Bord Bia.”

He added that it is his understanding the board has cancelled two meetings for next week as farm organisations are refusing to attend and are threatening to protest outside Bord Bia.

“The Minister needs to wise up and show some leadership. He must accept that he made the wrong decision to support Larry Murrin,” Kenny said. “Martin Heydon has the power to put an end to this controversy and restore public confidence in Bord Bia.”

Sinn Féin’s leader and deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and Pearse Doherty both stated that it is their view that Murrin’s association with the importation of Brazilian beef has damaged the reputation of Bord Bia.

In a statement earlier this week, Heydon told The Journal that Murrin has “discharged his duties as Chairman of Bord Bia in a satisfactory manner to date”. 

Murrin was appointed in 2024, and his appointment is due to last for a period of three years.