Joe Carey
Question:146. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that have been taken to develop the bioeconomy in Ireland and the potential benefits for farmers. [6791/22]
View answerThursday, 10 February 2022
Questions (146)
Written answers
Building on the 2018 National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy, the area has more recently been supported through political recognition in the Programme for Government, Food Vision 2030, and the Climate Action Plan 2021.
Principally, the development of the bioeconomy has been focused on three areas: Investments in research, innovation and skills; Development of markets and competitiveness; and Reinforced policy co-ordination and stakeholder engagement.
For example, there has been significant investment by all relevant national research and innovation funders, including my own Department, in funding projects, National Research Centres, Regional and Technology Clusters and Postgraduate opportunities to support bioeconomy development.
More specifically, my Department has supported bioeconomy development for farmers by funding European Innovation Partnership (EIP) cooperation projects under CAP co-funding mechanisms. These allow for sustainable and higher value opportunities in how we utilise grass and develop farm biogas. Other national funders have enabled research into the development of a climate neutral demonstration farm.
Additionally, my Department in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications, coordinates a strategic approach to the development of the bioeconomy through a Cross Government Policy Implementation Group and a broader Bioeconomy Forum. It is anticipated that the policy implementation group will propose a bioeconomy action plan to Government by the end of 2022, and the Bioeconomy Forum will report to the implementation group in mid 2022 to inform the development of that plan.
I am confident that all of these steps I have outlined are advancing the development of the Irish bioeconomy as a green business model, that creates new sources of income for many people in the agri-food sector, especially the primary producer.
This new business model will be founded on nature-based and bio-based products that generate added value and will be essential in promoting our transition to a circular and carbon-neutral economy.