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Stakeholder Coordination & Consultative Groups
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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The Government has mandated an implementation group, jointly chaired by the Departments of Agriculture, Food and Marine and Environment, Climate and Communications, to address and oversee the implementation of a number of major bioeconomy-related actions, in close collaboration with bioeconomy industries and other partners.
Progress reports to Government from the Bioeconomy Implementation and Development Group can be viewed hereunder:
Bioeconomy Implementation Group Second Progress Report
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Minutes from the Bioeconomy Implementation and Development Group meetings can be viewed hereunder:
The National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy was published in 2018. This document identified a specific need to liaise with the broad range of bioeconomy stakeholders who underpin the sustainable development, and evolution, of the bioeconomy in Ireland. To achieve this, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) worked together to establish the Irish Bioeconomy Forum.
The Irish Bioeconomy Forum was formally launched in October 2020 . The role of the Forum is to provide a voice for a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, community groups, NGOs and relevant state bodies in order to promote, support and advocate for the sustainable development of the bioeconomy in Ireland. The Forum gives particular focus to balancing the research and development, regulatory and market needs to support the development of Ireland’s bio-based economy.
The first iteration of the Irish Bioeconomy Forum first met in July 2021 with an initial two-year mandate and work programme. The Forum membership comprised 33 members representing a diverse range of bioeconomy perspectives including primary producers, industry, community groups, NGOs, innovation clusters and semi-state bodies. The Forum was supported by an Expert Advisory group consisting of 19 members representing Irish Higher Education Institutes and Research Performing Organisations.
For more information on the first iteration of the Irish Bioeconomy Forum, see: Irish Bioeconomy Forum 1.0 (2021 to 2023)
Ireland’s first Bioeconomy Action Plan was published in October 2023. Action 1.3 of this Plan details a specific objective to renew the Irish Bioeconomy Forum for the period of the Action Plan (up to 2025) and to develop and implement an annual operational work programme for the group. DAFM and DECC, as the lead stakeholders for this task, worked to re-establish the Forum in Q1 of 2024.
For more information on the renewed Irish Bioeconomy Forum, see: Irish Bioeconomy Forum 2.0 (2024 to 2025)
The Irish Bioeconomy Network is coordinated by the Bioeconomy Implementation and Development Group via the co-chairing departments and secretariat. The network consists of leading organisations, centres, clusters and programmes such as the SFI BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre, the Enterprise Ireland Irish Bioeconomy Foundation, Circular Bioeconomy Cluster South-west, Circular Bioeconomy Research Group, Shannon ABC, Teagasc and the Marine Institute. All organisations within the network seek to promote engagement and raise awareness of the bioeconomy and support its advancing development with a wide range of stakeholders.
The following is a list of key Irish Bioeconomy Network members, with links to their respective websites:
Bioeconomy Ireland Week is an annual week-long event held each October to highlight and raise awareness of Ireland’s rapidly growing bioeconomy. The celebration is a collaboration of events and awareness raising initiatives involving industry, local communities, producers, researchers, and students throughout Ireland. The awareness raising week is coordinated by the Irish Bioeconomy Network around a central theme.
For more information on Bioeconomy Ireland Week see the Bioeconomy Events & Education and visit the Irish Bioeconomy Network website.
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