An Irish MEP has welcomed the agreement between Bord Bia and the IFA that brought an end to the IFA's protest at Bord Bia's offices, saying it offers a "structured and credible" review process.

Barry Cowen was referring to the agreement between the IFA, Bord Bia, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, that an independent review into the governance of Bord Bia will take place.

This agreement saw the end of a protest at Bord Bia's offices in Dublin, with five IFA members, who had been engaged in a sit-in protest for over three weeks, leaving the building last night (Monday, March 3).

The protest and wider dispute, which has been ongoing since January, is over Bord Bia chairperson Larry Murrin, whose business, Dawn Farm Foods, sources some beef from Brazil.

The IFA has claimed that this clashes with Murrin's role as chair of the body tasked with promoting Irish food.

Murrin has had the unwavering support of Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon throughout this affair, with both Murrin and the minister flatly rejecting claims that there were any grounds for the former to resign or be removed as chair of Bord Bia.

Following this agreement and a potential way forward, Cowen said: "I welcome yesterday's agreement between the board of Bord Bia and the IFA to respond positively to the minister's proposal for an independent, expert-led governance review.

"It it important that the issues raised are now subject to proper consideration, independent assessment and clear recommendations, including those advanced by the IFA," he added.

He said the agreement that Larry Murrin will not chair board meetings for the duration of the review - which is due to be completed by April 30 - "acknowledges the seriousness of the current situation, while respecting his retained position as chair of the board".

"That balance is appropriate and proportionate," Cowen added.

The Fianna Fáil MEP also welcomed the conclusion of the IFA's sit in protest at Bord Bia's offices in Dublin, saying: "Farmers have made their views clear, and the focus should now turn to completing the review in a timely and transparent manner".

"What matters most is that Bord Bia can continue to promote Irish produce at home and abroad with the full confidence of farmers and the wider agri-food community," he added.