Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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11. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application (details supplied) to the European Innovation Partnership under call 6; when funding announcements will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13801/25]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I do not know which Minister is answering this question but it relates to the Irish wool industry and a farmer-led initiative that will be a crucial lifeline for rural areas. It specifically relates to the status of an application under call 6 of the European Innovation Partnership. I have provided the details. When will funding announcements be made? Can the Minister give any further details?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this important point. European Innovation Partnership projects, EIPs, are locally led innovative projects developed by operational groups acting collaboratively towards a common goal. They are a fantastic vehicle and one I used in my previous role as Minister of State. We use such projects across a range of areas within the Department of agriculture. EIPs represent a really important funding model that bring together innovation actors, including farmers, advisers, researchers, businesses and NGOs, to work together to address local challenges through innovative solutions that can more easily be put into practice on farms.

Together with my Department, the EU co-funds EIP projects as part of the CAP strategic plan 2023-2027. Under the CSP, an open call for proposals for European Innovation Partnership projects on the overall theme of environmental sustainability was launched on 5 November 2024 with an associated budget of €17.5 million. This was an extremely important EIP call which sought solutions for sustainable agriculture, soil health, horticulture, organics, the circular economy and the bioeconomy.

I was delighted with the response rate with 96 applications being received as part of the phase 1 process. Of this total, 27 applicants were selected to submit a more detailed project proposal under phase 2 of the competition, which closed on 24 February 2025. These detailed project proposals will be evaluated in April, this month, by an expert evaluation committee comprising internal and external experts. I look forward to announcing the successful projects under the EIP environmental sustainability call once the work of the expert committee has been concluded. As the evaluation process is still ongoing, I am not in a position to comment on any particular application.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister. I have been following up on this for a number of years now. We got a report from the Agile Executive on the possibilities for wool. Like seaweed, this is an area we have utterly neglected despite the substantial potential for growth for indigenous industries. The report tells us that "Wool has a unique composition that makes it applicable to many markets including Horticulture, Packaging, Insulation, Textiles, Cosmetics, Filled Products and Composites" and many more. This is an initiative from farmers that would benefit the local community. What has happened with regard to that specific application? Is it one of the 27 the Minister said had been selected? If not, where should the proposers go? This is a fantastic initiative that builds up possibilities for wool. It needs help at some stage. Where are we with the application? Has it been selected?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will understand that I am a step removed from the evaluation process and, as such, the straight answer to the Deputy's question is that I do not know. The group will know because, if it was involved in phase 2, it would have had to make a submission. I am happy to talk to the Deputy about that but, for very good reasons, I am a step removed from the evaluation process. It is based on objective criteria. EIPs are in great demand. That €17.5 million is in great demand and so there is a high bar to reach. That phase 2 process comprises my officials working with the groups to develop the projects so that those that are finally selected and allocated money will achieve the best return. I will come back to the point the Deputy has made about wool in general in my supplementary response but, by their nature, EIPs are designed to be locally led initiatives that we learn from. They are supposed to be models or pilots so that we can learn from their example, extrapolate from them and possibly include them in the next CAP on a national basis. That is the real strength of the EIPs. I will come back to the point on wool in my supplementary reply.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I understand the restriction on the Minister with regard to the evaluation process. I understand that but will he clarify the dates for me because I missed them when he was delivering his response? On wool in general, I am very concerned at how slowly progress is being made. It took us years to get the report that was commissioned. Some €100,000 was set aside. The report cost €70,000 while €30,000 went into the establishment of the Irish Grown Wool Council. I wish the council the best of luck but the Department has completely pulled back from it. I am a little concerned that I cannot see minutes anywhere. There are no minutes up on the website. I have asked about that repeatedly. I would be the first to support an open and accountable wool council that drives the wool industry so that wool is no longer a waste product. That is what wool is classified as. There might be scientific reasons for that but imagine that we are classifying wool as a waste product when there are so many possibilities for it. The Department and the Government should take a hands-on approach in light of the possibilities, particular given the urgent need to diversify our economy.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Absolutely. The programme for Government highlights the importance of the wool sector and how we want to help develop further opportunities for wool and examine the possibility of a scouring plant. We do not have one in Ireland and that is an impediment to further development. I remember a time when the shearing of sheep and the collection of wool was a really valuable part of a sheep farmer's activity. That cheque was a very important part of that overall activity. Not only is wool categorised as waste but, in terms of economic return, its value is not seen as worth the work and the strain. Shearing and collecting wool is very physical work. That is something we want to see change. In addition to adding value to lamb and sheep as a commodity and creating an extra income stream for farmers, wool demonstrates the circular nature of our food production system in that it has so many great uses including insulation and many others that have not been considered in the past. I very much want to work with the sector to see that developed.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I missed the dates.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The call was launched on 5 November 2024 and 27 applicants were selected to submit a more detailed project proposal as part of the competition with this phase closing on 24 February. These have been submitted and will be evaluated in the month of April.