merrion street

Following on from the publication of the Government’s National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy in March, the High-Level Bioeconomy Implementation Group, co-chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine and the Department of Communication, Climate Action and Environment, has been established to address a number of key actions for the future success of the bioeconomy in Ireland. This Implementation Group met for the first time last week. 

The meeting focused on ensuring that all relevant parties, including Government Departments and State agencies, as well as commercial and community entities, work together to turn the Policy Statement vision into a reality of sustainable economic activity for the benefit of regional, local and rural development.

Minister Creed commented:

The Agri-food sector is central to the Irish Bioeconomy and for exploration of new opportunities to develop biobased products, sustainable production and processing and circular practices. The bioeconomy also offers a major opportunity to contribute to climate change mitigation and food security whilst delivering a host of other ecosystem services and management of natural capital. All Government Departments and agencies have a role in facilitating this momentum by encouraging our sectors to grow their businesses and diversify their product base in a cross-sectoral manner.

Minister Naughten added 

A circular bioeconomy presents numerous opportunities across many sectors: providing real potential to contribute greatly to the ambitious objective of a decarbonised economy by 2050 through the use of biobased, renewable and sustainable resources; and also presenting innovative ways to address bio-based waste and by-products through cascading use and circularity. Innovation in product development through applied technology and renewable biobased-resources will benefit resource efficiency, Ireland’s environment, and our natural capital and sustainable growth into the future.