Athboy farmer at Bord Bia lock-in protest
Meath IFA livestock chairman, Donal Glennon is among the 15 farmers continuing a sit-down protest inside the offices of Bord Bia in Dublin today (Wednesday).
Mr Glennon, a livestock and tillage farmer from Athboy, was among the 30 farmers who occupied the building yesterday in an escalation of their protest calling for the removal of the agency's chair, Larry Murrin.
Accusing Mr Murrin of "talking out of both sides of his mouth", Mr Glennon said that around 30 farmers were let into the buidling around 2.30pm yesterday. "Bord Bia opened the door and we just walked in peacefully."
"The gardai were called and the doors were closed at 7.30pm and those who wanted to leave at that stage left.
"Fifteen of us stayed. Mr Murrin is promoting Irish meat, but then he is buying Brazilian beef - that is very hard hard for us to take," he said.
The IFA has been calling for Mr Murrin's removal as chair of Bord Bia since it emerged his company Dawn Farms, use some Brazilian beef in its meat products.
The IFA has been staging a protest outside the building since Monday of last week.
Mr Glennon said that Irish farmers have to produce to a very high standard, but Brazilian beef uses hormones and anti-biotics that have been been banned here for the past 30 years.
"It doesn't matter if what he is buying is one per cent, two per cent or half a percent brazilian, there are no standards or traceability and it is very hard for farmers to take," he said.
Dawn Farms said Brazilian beef made up less than one per cent of its overall supply last year.
Mr Glennon said it was untenable that Mr Murrin stay on as chairman.
"He might be promoting Irish beef, but what he is doing is morally wrong. As farmers we have paid €6 million into Bord Bia. We help pay for this building and he is there to promote the beef we produce.
"It is very hard to stand and see this going on and everyone in the farming community and indeed those outside the farming community want him to go."
Mr Glennon said it had had been a long night. "The office has porcelain tiles and they are very hard when you are lying on them."
He said the farmers are determined. "We are here on a peaceful protest. The only outcome there can be is that he goes and Bird Bia appoints a new chair," he said.
The IFA has said it will continue its protest until Mr Murrin leaves his role; but he said he has no intention of stepping down.
IFA President Francie Gorman said the move by farmers to occupy the Bord Bia HQ "reflects the deep frustration and anger over the inaction by Bord Bia on this matter".
Bord Bia said it respects "anyone's right to protest but it is unacceptable and unprofessional to disrupt the work of Bord Bia staff."