Conor D McGuinness: Accuses Bord Bia Chair of Undermining Farmers
Conor D McGuinness criticised the importation of Brazilian beef, arguing it threatens farmers' livelihoods and conflicts with the standards to which Irish producers are held. He accused the Bord Bia chair, Larry Murlin, of importing Brazilian beef through a private company and said this had destroyed farmers' confidence in Bord Bia and the government.
Allegations over Brazilian beef imports
McGuinness said farmers feel undermined, ignored and "livid" because the importation of Brazilian beef poses an existential threat to their livelihoods and runs contrary to the production standards Irish producers must meet.
Bord Bia chair and loss of confidence
He alleged that while Bord Bia promotes Irish standards internationally, the chair, Larry Murlin, imports Brazilian beef through his private company, a fact McGuinness said has destroyed farmers' confidence in Bord Bia.
Government reply and trade defence
A minister responding in the exchange rejected the suggestion that farmers were being ignored and listed supports including EAC, derogations and a range of funding mechanisms across sheep, tillage and suckler sectors. The minister referenced the nitrates directive and defended the government’s trade record, saying CETA produced clear export benefits while the government opposes Mercosur.
Engagement with farming organisations and local lobbying
The minister noted attendance at the IFA AGM and said there was no sense among attendees that farmers had been ignored, while the deputy raised concerns about IFA and ICSA lobbying of councillors in places such as Waterford and Kilmack-Thomas and asked whether the whip would be applied to Fianna Fáil councillors.
Tone and parliamentary exchange
The exchange included sharp language from McGuinness and an emphatic rebuke from the minister, who described some phrasing as "rubbish" and urged deputies to listen to answers rather than offering broad assertions without questions.
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Taoiseach farmers feel undermined, they feel ignored, taken for granted, they're angry, they're livid in fact, because the importation of Brazilian beef represents not only an existential threat to their livelihoods, but the way Brazilian beef is produced runs completely contrary to the standards to which they are held. And your late in the day and lukewarm approach to Mercosur, that late in the day opposition, exposed your real attitude to it. And the regulations that Irish farmers must adhere to ensure our beef and dairy products are the best in the world. And the fact that Bord Bia benefits directly from this and promotes this message around the world, whilst at the very same the chair, Larry Murlin, imports Brazilian beef through his private company, has destroyed the confidence farmers have in Bord Bia. And it is doing serious damage to the confidence they have in this government, whatever is left of it. His evasiveness in his answers at committee last week might have seemed like a masterclass to people who observe this particular bubble. But I think that farmers who are used to speaking and listening plainly saw it for what it was. So, Minister, will you apply the whip to your Fianna Fáil councillors, who are being lobbied at the moment by IFA and ICSA, like in Waterford and Kilmack-Thomas this evening when the IFA calls councillors in to meet them? In terms of Deputy McGuinness, farmers are not ignored. I just went through EAC, I went through derogation, I went through the various funding mechanisms we've taken in to support different farmers, different levels and different from sheep to tillage to suckler, right across the board we've been supportive of farmers. So we're not ignoring anything. And I mentioned the nitrates directive and so on. The bigger issue for us is we want to continue to export. So if you take the Canada trade deal, which you oppose, we're exporting food to Canada. I don't get the logic of opposing a trade deal that helps Irish farmers. I don't get it. Sorry. Sorry, I'm talking about CETA now for a moment. We oppose Mercosur. Wait for the answer. But by the way, one of the commissioners told me last week, I can't verify it, but that there was a few food producers went out on an EU mission to Mercosur countries as well, but there you are. Some people would seek and they get opportunities there. But on CETA, we did well. And the embassy in Canada, in other words, did a fantastic study on the economic benefits of CETA for Ireland now and for the Canadian-Ireland trade relationship. Thank you, Deputy. It's not a back and forth and listen to the answer, please. Sorry. I'm just going to say it once and to be clear. The T-Shop doesn't give you the answer you want. That's not my problem. What are you talking about Brazil? I mean, because I mentioned it in my question. Look, this is not the way this forum is held in Bishop's questions. We're not ignoring farmers. I went to the AGM of the IFA recently, just before this latest fraud. There was no sense of ignoring. In fact, it was quite an agreeable, good conversation. Listened, and so did the Minister Hayden, Minister Dooley, Minister Healy-Rae, were at the AGM only about a month ago. There was no reference to the Board of B, I think, but it obviously may not have surfaced that time. But there was no sense of people being ignored, or whatever else you say. That kind of language is just rubbish. Sorry, Deputy, you didn't have a question. You didn't have a question. It's just throwing out words that mean nothing. There was never any sense that farmers had been ignored by this government. You didn't have a question. You didn't have a question. I'm sorry. I just thought you cambiando it. What do you think of that time? Right? Yeah. Sorry. Yeah.
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