Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
18. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 63 of 12 October 2023, the status of the implementation of the west regional enterprise plan to 2024; for a status update on the implementation of action 7.2 to "develop initiative to encourage emergence of 'born sustainable, born circular' start-ups”; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51391/23]
View answerI wonder could I use the time I did not take during the previous question.
The Deputy is poacher-cum-gamekeeper.
She is pretty tough when she is in the Chair.
I am not tough enough. I will go back to being a TD.
My question relates specifically to the status of the implementation of the west regional enterprise plan to 2024 and seeks an update in particular in respect of action 7.2, which is to "develop initiative to encourage emergence of 'born sustainable, born circular' start-ups".
Gabhaim buíochas leis an gcoiste sin as plean fiontair an iarthair.
As the Deputy knows, balanced regional enterprise development continues to be a key policy for this Government, as is reaffirmed in the White Paper on enterprise. Our Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine regional enterprise plans.
The west regional enterprise plan covers Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, and was launched in Castlebar last year. Each regional enterprise plan is overseen and monitored by a steering committee made up of regional stakeholders and chaired by a senior level private sector businessperson, who, in the case of the west regional enterprise plan, is Ms Evelyn O'Toole from Complete Laboratory Solutions in Clifden. She is doing an excellent job in leading the plan.
I attended the most recent meeting of the west regional enterprise plan steering committee on 20 June in the BIA Innovator Campus in Athenry and I believe good progress is being made in delivering on the strategic objectives of the plan. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I also had engagement with Ms O'Toole and Ms Helena Deane, the programme manager for the plan, at the recent Building Better Business event in Ballina.
Action 7.2 of the plan, to "develop initiative to encourage emergence of 'born sustainable, born circular' start-ups", comes under the strategic objective to "facilitate an equitable digital and green transformation in the West". This objective aims to encourage enterprise to engage in the use of smart advanced technologies to improve energy and resource efficiency, and to promote the industry-related circular economy. The rationale for action 7.2 is that, looking to the next generation of indigenous enterprise, we need to instil a green mindset into the start-up development journey. We want to ensure that zero-carbon environmental practices and business models are embedded from the outset as companies grow and scale.
The action is currently in progress and led by the three west regional local enterprise offices in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, with quarter 4 next year as the target for completion. The LEOs have already started to embed the concept of born sustainable, born circular in their early-stage programmes, such as "Start your own business" and "Lean launch".
Regional stakeholders are also pursuing a range of other activities, bringing together public bodies, industry and higher education institutions to support adaptation to the circular economy.
The west region was designated a fellow under the EU circular cities and regions initiative in 2022. This initiative aims to enable the green transition by boosting circularity at local and regional level.
I am delighted the Minister of State is taking this question for the west of Ireland because I know he has a particular interest. The language about start-ups and "born sustainable, born circular" is wonderful. However, the Minister of State knows that the west region has been degraded by the EU. I know there is controversy around what exactly happened but all TDs on this side of the Chamber have raised the issue repeatedly. I cannot think of anything more sustainable and born circular than the seaweed industry and the potential there that has been utterly ignored.
I will move to wool, and the possibilities for an indigenous wool industry. Other than a wool council, around which the language is woolly, that possibility is not integrated into the plan. I think of the sprat. The Government introduced a fantastic policy to ban big trawlers from fishing within six miles of the shore. That policy was, unfortunately, held at naught by the court because of a failure to consult. There are enormous possibilities in that regard. I will stay within the time limit by way of example.
I thank the Deputy. I do not have specific detail on the three areas to which she has referred. I will get back to her because I agree there is potential. I had an engagement with a representative of the Irish wool industry last week. He pointed out the significant potential in far-eastern markets, in particular, and I am following that through.
The Minister, Deputy Coveney, launched the smart regional innovation scheme and we are currently open to ideas and proposals on that scheme via Enterprise Ireland. Every Tuesday evening, it is running online seminars to brief communities, companies and educational institutions about how they can get involved. If the Deputy engages with the programme team of the west regional plan, she will find they are incredibly open to ideas and suggestions, particularly in the space to which the Deputy has referred.
That is good to know, but it is not happening. We look at the wonderful policy to ban big trawlers. The whole purpose of that was for ecology and biodiversity, but also to provide sustainable livings for small fishermen on the coast. That policy has gone because of a failure to communicate, even though the court held completely with the rationale behind the policy.
I do not know how long ago I proposed a motion to encourage the development of an indigenous seaweed industry. In respect of wool, all we have so far is the Agile Executive report, which cost €100,000. It was excellent in parts and woolly in others. It set up a wool council. There is enormous potential for the wool industry. Farmers are getting a pittance for the wool. It is regarded as a waste product. Can you imagine? Wool is regarded as a waste product. Seaweed is almost regarded in the same way. There is enormous potential for the circular economy to match the lovely words "born sustainable, born circular". It is like going around in a circle without doing anything.
I will come back to the Deputy on the specific sectors. I know the Deputy and Deputy Ó Cuív have done a lot of work in respect of seaweed. I see considerable development in the use of seaweed in all sorts of things one would never have imagined-----
There is potential.
-----including food and medicine. Companies are getting support from agencies. I will get that detail for the Deputy. There is massive potential there. I encourage the Deputy to engage with the smart regional innovation scheme around all of these issues.
