Bioeconomy impact

Maeve Henchion, Laura Devaney

Industry impact: Policy impact currently rather than industry impact; industry impact will be further down the line in terms of new opportunities through new value chains. Research conducted within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)-funded research project BioÉire, supported by the Teagasc Bioeconomy Working Group, directly contributed to the National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy. Specifically, BioÉire identified and assessed national biobased feedstocks, assessed market opportunities and challenges, identified and prioritised new value chains and outlined the necessary framework conditions for success. Results from BioÉire were presented to the Government Inter-Departmental Group, which was established to develop the National Bioeconomy Policy Statement as required in the National Rural Development Action Plan and the Action Plan for Jobs. Furthermore, Teagasc co-hosted, with the Department of the Taoiseach, a consultative stakeholder event which was framed around the BioÉire results. This led to the preparation of a discussion document by the Department of the Taoiseach and was the basis on which the Department invited public submissions. Teagasc made a direct submission in response to this invitation and also provided input to the DAFM’s submission. BioÉire is specifically mentioned in the resulting National Policy Statement, with reference to future opportunities worthy of further investigation. The National Policy statement is available at: www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/News/Government_Press_Releases/Bioeconomy.pdf. Further information on BioÉire is available at: BioÉire Results Launch

Contribution of non-research stakeholders: Teagasc Bioeconomy Working Group.

Other contributors and collaborators: Kevin McDonnell and Eilín Walsh (UCD), Paul O’Reilly (DIT), Bart Bonsall and James Gaffey (tcbb Resource), Padraic Ó hUiginn (tcbb Resource and Ryan Institute, NUIG).

Funding: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.