In Davos, an extraordinary week showed how the world is changing, with significant implications for small countries like Ireland. But at home, the politics of “gotcha” and point-scoring goes on, without any heed to the fundamental shifts internationally.

Nowhere was this clearer then in the row about the chairman of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin, who is chief executive of Dawn Farms. It emerged that his company had imported a small amount of Brazilian beef. Shock, horror. Sinn Féin and the farm lobby called for his removal as chair of the State food-promotion body. Only this, said Irish Farmers Association (IFA) chairman Francie Gorman, could restore confidence in Bord Bia. An “emergency” board meeting was called at which the IFA and the ICMSA called for his removal.

While the board and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon backed Mullin, calls for his removal should not have been entertained. Sinn Féin should have been ignored and the farming groups told to get off the stage. Some 1 per cent of Dawn Farms’ beef comes from Brazil, the company said. The vast bulk comes from Ireland – as well as some from the EU and UK.

The importation of Brazilian beef is perfectly normal and quotas and tariffs exist to control it. World trade involves a country buying from people as well as selling to them. What on earth was this all about?

Well, of course the wider context is the drive by the farm lobby to scupper the Mercusor trade deal. Despite tight controls on beef import volumes from South America under the deal and no evidence of any significant risk to Irish beef farmers, the entire Mercosur debate here........

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