Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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67. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 112 of 20 April 2023, if he will provide an update on the work of the Wool Council; if the €30,000 in departmental funding promised to support the Wool Council has been drawn down to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25054/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for her ongoing interest in this matter and as you are aware, the Irish Grown Wool Council was formally launched on 5th April 2023.

The Wool Council is an independent stakeholder-led Council comprising of stakeholders from across the wool sector including primary producers, farming organisations and industry representatives from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

I understand that a Wool Research and Innovation Hub has also been established with representatives from all across the island and is being led by the Circular Bio-economy Cluster Southwest at Munster Technological University (MTU). The aim of the Wool Hub is to support the Irish Grown Wool Council in conducting research and innovation to deliver products to market and aid commercialisation ultimately adding value right across the supply chain from farm to end product.

The Department does not hold a seat on the independent Irish Grown Wool Council however, my officials will continue to support and work closely with the Council going forward. Officials in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have also outlined the criteria required to draw down the pledged €30,000 towards the initial set up costs. To date no requests for payments have been received by the Department.

I believe that the launch of both the Irish Grown Wool Council and the Wool Research and Innovation Hub is a very positive step for the Wool Industry in Ireland.

Together, I am sure that they will use the findings of the wool review as a roadmap to develop pathways towards maximising the true potential of Irish wool into the future and to help drive increased returns for this great and sustainable product.