Watch: Heydon says it is 'time to move on' from Bord Bia chair matter
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, today (Friday, February 6) said that it was "time to move on" following a week of political scrutiny over the position of Bord Bia chair, Larry Murrin.
Commenting on Murrin's appearance at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture yesterday (Thursday, February 5), the minister stated that a "very democratic process" had taken place and it proved that no rules had been broken by the current chair of Bord Bia.
Murrin faced over three hours of questioning by committee members, following a two-hour private Dáil debate on Wednesday evening, after several farming organisations and political parties renewed calls for his resignation.
Last month, Dawn Farm Foods, of which Larry Murrin is CEO, confirmed that Brazilian beef accounted for 1% of its beef supply in 2025.
This prompted claims from some political leaders and farming organisations that his role at Bord Bia was untenable.
Speaking to Agriland at the launch of Project Baseline today, Minister Heydon noted that the Oireachtas process had provided clarity on the matter and allowed for full scrutiny of the Bord Bia chair's role and business interests.
He said: "We spent two hours in Dáil Eireann on a Wednesday evening debating this matter... and then [Larry Murrin] spent over three hours at the Agriculture Committee yesterday.
"All members got to question the chairman on all aspects of his role as chairman of Bord Bia but also his personal business aspects.
"He answered many detailed questions about his own personal business that he technically didn't have to, but he did. He's an open book."
According to the minister, yesterday's Oireachtas committee meeting reaffirmed that there had been no breaches of rules by Murrin as chair of Bord Bia.
"That process has clearly outlined what we have always known - no rules were broken," he said, adding that Murrin's business operations reflect how "international, very large integrated trade deals work to the benefit of Irish consumers."
Heydon also stressed the importance of Bord Bia's work and said that his focus is now on other major challenges facing the sector.
"The work at Bord Bia is really, really important.
"At this event here today, there are many farming organisations who are dealing with very big issues across the agriculture that I am very focused on.
"I look forward to moving on and working with everybody that wants to work with me," the minister added.
