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Farmers hold Bord Bia protest in Monaghan Town

Feb 5, 2026 15:52
By News Northern Sound
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Farmers hold Bord Bia protest in Monaghan Town
IFA protest outside the Hilgrove Hotel. Source: Brendan Soden

"This is a bit ridiculous, we're in day 11 of this and nobody wants to listen to what the farmers are saying."

The Irish Farmers' Association hosted a protest outside the Hilgrove Hotel in Monaghan Town this morning.

There was a Bord Bia meeting in Monaghan this morning, to discuss future standards for the organisation.

Local IFA members felt that the protest was "irresponsible", given that protests against Larry Murrin are continuing in Dublin.

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Roughly 50 poultry and pig farmers held a protest outside the hotel before the meeting.

Co. Cavan farmer, and IFA Poultry Chair Brendan Soden believes that the situation is becoming "ridiculous."

He has made repeated calls for Larry Murrin to reveal how much Brazilian poultry is imported by Dawn Farm Foods.

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Speaking to Northern Sound at the protest, Mr. Soden called the situation "a joke".

Mr. Soden said: "This is a bit ridiculous, we're in day 11 of this and nobody wants to listen to what the farmers are saying.

"What's going on is quite clear to everybody outside of this that's looking in. But we seem to have, between the Minister, and Mr. Murrin himself, you can't be sitting on the board of Bord Bia and be importing Brazilian beef, its a joke," Mr. Soden added.

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Meanwhile, Monaghan farmer, and former IFA Ulster/Nth Leinster Regional Chair, Frank Brady wants a "level playing field" for farmers.

He has questions as to whether the government was originally against the Mercusor trade agreement.

"Were they really against the Mercosur deal? It was only when the IFA and the Farmers Journal went over to South America, and they realised that it was an inferior product. Then they had to get off the fence and join us," Mr. Brady said.

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"They had promised us before the election, in the farm centre, that they would be anti-Mercosur, then they realised that the deal was probably good for some parts of Ireland, but it wasn't good for what the people were eating," he explained.

Speaking on The Wider View today, Sinn Féin TD, Cathy Bennett said that farmers had the right to protest.

Deputy Bennett said: "The farmers are right to protest. I suppose we had a big debate in the Dáil last night, and the farmers are still protesting today.

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"Michael Martin and the government are going to have to listen to the farmers, they want Larry Murrin to resign and come off Bord Bia as the chair. This is going to have to happen, the pressure is on government now," she added.

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