Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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762. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when Microfinance Ireland will be permitted to resume lending to the agriculture sector, given the importance of access to finance for small and medium-sized farms. [16717/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Microfinance Ireland (MFI) is a not-for-profit organisation funded through the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund. MFI is not under the aegis of my Department, nor does my Department impose any restrictions or have any role in its operational decisions. However, where it offers loans to farmers, MFI must ensure that such loans comply with relevant EU state aid regulations.

MFI sought and was granted approval to issue loans to the agriculture sector under COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1408/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid in the agriculture sector (as amended).

To facilitate the data sharing required to comply with this Regulation, enactment of a Statutory Instrument (SI) was required. This SI is currently being finalised and will provide the necessary legal basis for the sharing of data between third party agri-loan providers, such as MFI, and my Department. The SI is expected to be published shortly.

This only applies to loans being issued under Commission Regulation (EU) No 1408/2013. MFI can lend to the sector under other state aid regulations, once loans are compliant with the relevant requirements.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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763. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will support and resource an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16751/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Grown Wool Council was established in April 2023, following recommendations from the Wool Feasibility study, and was set up as an independent stakeholder-led Council. I am supportive of its work and my Department allocated €30,000 to the Council in start-up seed funding, almost €26,000 of which has been drawn down.

In addition, in 2024 my Department provided a grant of almost €575,000 to Munster Technological University to fund a wool research project: “Spring Wool - removing bottlenecks and providing a springboard for innovation in the Irish Grown Wool sector". This research project aims to provide innovative solutions to transform the Irish wool sector in areas such as the treatment of scouring wastewater and the development of wool biorefinery.

I would draw the Deputy’s attention to the new Programme for Government, in which there is a commitment under Arts and Culture to support the Irish Grown Wool Council.

I am optimistic that over time, these actions will enable stakeholders across the island of Ireland to realise the potential of wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material, and create future opportunities for indigenous Irish wool.