Bord Bia
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-04
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister for attending and for giving of his time to deal with this matter, which relates to the corporate governance responsibility and credibility of Bord Bia, and, in particular, the credibility of Bord Bia if it continues to have Larry Murrin as its chair. For nearly two weeks now, this matter has been allowed to drift. With every single day that passes, the credibility of Bord Bia, and in turn the credibility of Irish produce, is at risk. Ireland’s reputation internationally is being put at risk while this continues.
As the Minister and I know, Bord Bia is one of the most important agencies we have when it comes to how Ireland is seen abroad. Its credibility is not optional; it is foundational. It exists to champion Irish food, farming and produce on the world stage and to sell the story of quality, integrity, sustainability and trust. That story falls apart when the chair of Bord Bia simultaneously associates with business practices that directly contradict the standards Bord Bia promotes. This is not about perception alone; it is about a clear conflict of interest. Pretending otherwise insults the intelligence of farmers and producers.
Conflict-of-interest rules are not box-ticking exercises. They exist because you cannot credibly regulate, promote or oversee a sector while benefiting from practices that undermine it. When the chair’s personal business model cuts across the very values Bord Bia is meant to defend, that position becomes untenable. There is no argument about that.
Farmers are not reacting emotionally; they are reacting rationally and justifiably to the blatant double standards that are evident. They are asked to meet ever-higher standards, absorb rising costs and protect Ireland’s reputation while seeing the standards ignored from the very top. Confidence has been damaged, and once trust is broken it is extremely hard to rebuild. International markets are watching this very closely. If Ireland tolerates conflicts of interest at the highest level of its food-marketing body, our claims of integrity ring hollow. This damages Bord Bia’s authority, weakens Irish exporters and ultimately hurts family farms, which depend on Bord Bia’s credibility to access premium markets.
I ask the Minister not to let this go on any longer and to say that the position is untenable and that Larry Murrin should step down as chair of Bord Bia. The Minister should go see all the farmers who are protesting and who have locked themselves into a Bord Bia office. Farming is their livelihood and they have to meet certain standards. If the chair who holds them accountable regarding those standards buys his beef from Brazil, it is a complete conflict of interest and it needs to be addressed.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-04/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:35+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-04