The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food will meet farm organisations this evening (Wednesday, February 11) to discuss "the potential for loss of confidence in the Irish beef sector".

The committee is due to hear from representatives of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA).

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has made a submission to the committee.

Beef

The IFA requested the meeting following the appearance of Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin before the committee.

The farm organisation said it has identified 10 specific points that have arisen from Larry Murrin's testimony, along with "other issues".

On Thursday (February 5), Murrin answered questions at the committee around his business, Dawn Farm Foods, and its practice of sourcing some beef from Brazil.

Murrin said Dawn Farms imported less than 1% of its beef from Brazil in 2025 to meet a requirement of contingency planning.

He said sourcing a small quantity outside Ireland "does not diminish our commitment to Irish beef or farmers".

However, farming organisations and some politicians claim that Murrin's company sourcing beef from Brazil is incompatible with his role as chair of the body tasked with promoting Irish food.

Committee

IFA president Francie Gorman will be joined by IFA deputy president Alice Doyle and IFA director general Damian McDonald at this evening's meeting.

Gorman previously said the IFA has "requested a slot for a right of reply" before "a key vote in the Dáil on Wednesday night".

The IFA president was referring to a Sinn Féin motion calling on the government to remove Murrin from his role as Bord Bia chairperson.

ICSA president Sean McNamara will be accompanied at the meeting by Edmond Phelan, ICSA Rural Development chair and Hugh Farrell, ICSA general secretary.

It is expected the ICSA will tell the committee that the "credibility of Bord Bia with farmers has been badly damaged, and it cannot be restored with Larry Murrin remaining as chair".

It is understood that ICSA will also call for a "wider change" at board level in Bord Bia.

ICMSA has made a submission to the committee, but will be unable to attend in person.

"The hearing was scheduled at the last minute and ICMSA’s representatives had prior commitments," a spokesperson told Agriland.

In its submission, ICMSA reiterates its call on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon to "immediately convene a meeting between Bord Bia and the farm organisations in order to resolve the matter".

The organisation says that Bord Bia should "present detailed proposals on how it intends to restore farmer confidence".

"Farmers do not have confidence in the current regime and food labelling regulation and this has to be addressed," the submission says.