Heroes' welcome for 'IFA 5' as deal is reached
IT has been a long five weeks for Abbey woman Teresa Roche - 28-days of it spent in the head office of Bord Bia in Ballsbridge - but she told the Farming Tribune this week, that it was a stand well worth taking.
"We all felt very strongly about this issue and the support of farmers from all parts of Ireland was especially reassuring. A major review of Bord Bia will now be undertaken and while that is happening, the Chair Larry Murrin, will be stepping aside," said Teresa Roche.
For the 'IFA 5' it certainly was no four weeks of luxury . . . sleeping in bags or air beds . . . confined to two meals per day . . . and with an ongoing security presence around the building.
"This was something we had to take a stand on. We had the Chair of Bord Bia, whose firm wasn't quality assured, and who was importing large quantities of beef and chicken from Brazil.
"While legally he may have been doing nothing wrong, there was no way morally that his position was sustainable or tenable. How he [Larry Murrin] or the Minister [Martin Heydon] could not see the core issue in all of this, is very hard to fathom out," said Teresa Roche.
When the 'IFA 5' left the building shortly before 5pm on Monday evening, an agreement had been hammered out involving negotiations between Bord Bia, the Minister for Agriculture and the IFA.
According to IFA President, Francie Gorman, the two key 'takeaways' from the agreement were a full governance review of Bord Bia to examine the issues that have come to light and that during this review, it will be chaired by another Bord Bia board member - not Larry Murrin.
"IFA had put a proposal to the board ten days ago identifying seven strands that should be examined, including the Chair stepping aside while these are being considered. This was the basis of Monday's agreement.
"IFA has agreed to stand down their protest until the review is complete and with Larry Murrin not chairing board meetings. Five farmers have occupied the building for 28 days with a rolling 24-hour protest outside for 36 days.
“These farmers are heroes. They have sacrificed so much for their fellow farmers, as have those who have kept a 24-hour rolling protest going outside,” said Francie Gorman.
When the five IFA members left the Ballsbridge HQ of Bord Bia on Monday evening, they received a rousing reception from farmers who had gathered outside - later that night, when Teresa Roche, attended a late Galway IFA meeting in Loughrea Hotel and Spa, she was treated to a standing ovation.
"It really was so reassuring to see the welcome that was given to us when our sit-in ended and the deal was reached. Just on a local level, a special thanks to all the farmers and IFA members from across Galway and indeed from all of Connacht.
"Another huge boost in the protest and campaign was the huge turnout of farmers – and consumers too – at the rallies in Claremorris and Athy. Such a response from the public delivered a very clear message to Bord Bia and the Minister for Agriculture, as to where farmers stood on this issue,” said Teresa Roche.