The government must listen to farmers and use their powers to remove Larry Murrin as chair of Bord Bia, according to Sinn Féin.

The party will bring a motion before the Dáil tonight (Wednesday, February 4) calling on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon to remove Larry Murrin as chair of Bord Bia with immediate effect.

Last month, it was confirmed that Murrin's company Dawn Farm Foods sourced 1% of its beef supply from Brazil in 2025.

The issue has led to anger from farm organisations and some politicians, who claim that Murrin's business sourcing beef from Brazil is untenable with his role of chair of the body tasked with promoting Irish food.

The government has supported Larry Murrin to date, with Minister Heydon saying he has his "full confidence".

However, several Fianna Fáil TDs have called on Murrin to consider his position as chair of Bord Bia.

Bord Bia

Under the Bord Bia Act 1994, the minister may at any time remove from office a member of the board of Bord Bia.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has previously called for Larry Murrin to resign or be moved from his position at the Irish Food Board.

Tonight's motion notes that Bord Bia's role is to bring "Ireland’s outstanding food, drink and horticulture to the world, thus enabling growth and sustainability of producers".

It also emphasises the importance of Irish food and drink exports to the economy.

Sinn Féin believe that Irish farmers and their representative organisations have lost confidence in Murrin as chair of Bord Bia as a result of his company importing Brazilian beef.

The party claims that Murrin continuing as chair of the Irish food board "undermines public confidence in Bord Bia and damages Irelands reputation as a world leader producing food that adheres to the highest standards".

Sinn Féin

Speaking at Leinster House earlier, Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, Martin Kenny said that Murrin's position as chair of Bord Bia is "totally untenable".

"He is the head of an agency that's marketing Irish beef around the world and at the same time, is importing and selling Brazilian beef to consumers, which is totally incompatible with his role.

"This motion is going to ensure that the government have the opportunity to support that and to remove him from his position, because thus far, he has refused to go himself," he said.

Kenny said the motion will provide an opportunity for the government parties to "come out and state clearly where they stand".

The Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson said there is "huge anger across the country in the agricultural communities" about this issue.

"Accountability has to work every way. It has to be there for farmers, of course, that they maintain the standards, but it also has to ensure that we maintain the standards, and maintain the system that is put in place by Bord Bia and that's what we need good governance for," he said.

System

In a sit-down interview with Agriland, Larry Murrin strongly rejected claims that his role as chair of Bord Bia is "incompatible" with leading a multinational company.

"Larry Murrin's position is that he's done nothing wrong and he's not moving. It's huge arrogance on his part," Deputy Kenny said.

"We need to see him go from his position. Irish farmers recognise that they have to be accountable, and he has to be accountable as well.

"This is also about trust in the overall system. We have a system there which produces the highest quality food, which is marketed around the world because of that system and the integrity of that system, and Larry Murrin remaining in that position, brings that integrity into disrepute," he added.

Meanwhile, Murrin is due to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food tomorrow.