Today, I announced the appointment of The Agile Executive to conduct a review of the potential demand in domestic and international markets for wool-based products.
This announcement comes after a meeting earlier in the week with the team undertaking the review.
We must change the way we look at wool. It is undervalued and seen almost as a waste product, and we want to challenge that and improve the outcome for farmers by putting the focus on where wool and its by-products can be of real value. Wool is sustainable and wool is renewable, so it makes great sense for us to see where its potential lies in our circular economy.
As a sheep farmer myself, I am only too aware of the challenges and issues facing the wool sector and of the need to resolve them. This report will help develop a much-needed roadmap for the Irish Wool Industry and to assist me in shaping future policy on wool as envisaged in the Programme for Government.
The Agile Executive is an experienced consortium comprising experts from Munster Technological University and Donegal Yarns. Their appointment was made following a competitive public procurement process which involved seeking experienced service providers to conduct a review into potential market opportunities both nationally and internationally for wool-based products and produce a report of their findings.
The review is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.
Following the announcement, The Agile Executive Consortium lead Patrick Byrne said;
“We are delighted to be appointed by Minister Hackett and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to this very important project. This is an opportunity to work with key industry stakeholders and primary producers to identify new opportunities to create value-add products from Irish wool that are environmentally and economically sustainable and further contribute to the Irish Circular Bioeconomy.”