The Bord Bia quality and trust mark is something I trust and look for as a consumer. It means something to people. It tells us that what we are eating is safe, meets the highest standards and comes from our land. The fact that I can trace what I am eating back to a farmer or field in Ireland is reassuring and something I value deeply, not just because you are what you eat, but because it allows me to know I am contributing to supporting local farmers and suppliers who work tirelessly to uphold those standards. This is not just a rural issue. This is an urban and rural issue. Transparency about what we are eating matters to every family in every community. Yet, we now have a situation where the chair of Bord Bia, an organisation whose own website states it exists to promote Ireland's outstanding food, drink and horticulture to the world, is at the same time importing Brazilian beef that we know entered Ireland with banned hormones. This is an unacceptable conflict. As a consumer this leads me to have a lack of faith in the chair of the board. If he continues in that role, I and many others will lose faith in Bord Bia altogether. Trust once broken is not easily repaired. This conflict must end, and the trust that Irish people place in Bord Bia must be allowed to be rebuilt. The importance of Irish food and drink exports is at risk here. Our reputation is hard won, and it must not be undermined. The Minister has the power to remove this member from the board with immediate effect. Irish farmers and their representative organisations have lost confidence in the chairperson, and it is time to listen to them. For Sinn Féin this is about standing with Irish farmers, protecting consumers and defending the integrity of Irish food. The chair must resign, and he must resign now.

Sentiment score: 0.15