Ministers O'Brien and Heydon launch Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2025 showcasing innovation for a sustainable and competitive future
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 6 Deireadh Fómhair 2025
The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien, together with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, today announced the launch of Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2025, taking place from 13-19 October.
Now in its eighth year, Bioeconomy Ireland Week will showcase over 30 events nationwide and online – engaging citizens, farmers, fishers, foresters, entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers. This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring local communities for a sustainable, competitive Ireland’.
Launching the week, Minister O'Brien said:
"Local communities are at the heart of Ireland’s circular bioeconomy. They are the innovators, the early adopters, and the drivers of sustainable change. By working with nature and making the most of our renewable resources, we can build a more competitive, resilient and sustainable Ireland. Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2025 is about celebrating that potential, sharing ideas, and inspiring action in every corner of the country."
Minister Heydon said:
"I am delighted to mark the eighth year of Bioeconomy Ireland Week, a key platform for highlighting the opportunities and benefits of the bioeconomy across our society. This week is an important reminder of how vital it is to develop greater awareness among our primary producers and the public of the bioeconomy. Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2025 is not just about ideas – it is about engagement, collaboration, innovation and action to ensure Ireland remains at the forefront of building a more sustainable, circular and resilient economy and I encourage everyone to get involved."
Events will highlight how Ireland’s bioeconomy contributes to climate action, sustainable development and competitiveness, and thriving regional, rural, and coastal communities.
Activities will include:
- a launch event on 13 October, highlighting agri-food bioeconomy business models and value chains and how to finance their development, will be held in Tullamore; register here
- a webinar on 16 October highlighting two new demonstration projects funded under the Shared Island Initiative that are developing innovative bio-based solutions; and
- a week-long series of events targeting Transition Year students and the public that will take place in Bioeconomy Libraries all across Ireland
For full details on events taking place around Ireland visit the Bioeconomy Ireland Week website.
The week-long series of events is coordinated by the Irish Bioeconomy Network, led by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, working closely with partners from research, enterprise, and community organisations.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
Bioeconomy Policy
Ireland’s Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025 was published by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in October 2023 on the Government of Ireland website. The National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy was published by the Department of the Taoiseach in 2018 and can be found on the Government of Ireland website.
Bioeconomy Ireland Week
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, primary producers, universities, researchers, local authorities, students, and local communities throughout Ireland. The awareness-raising week is coordinated by the Irish Bioeconomy Network around a central theme – see https://irishbioeconomy.ucd.ie/ .
Irish Bioeconomy Network:
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 BiOrbic Research Ireland Centre for Bioeconomy, Teagasc, Marine Institute, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Munster Technological University, Circular Bioeconomy Cluster, Irish Bioeconomy Foundation, Climate KIC, Rediscovery Centre, CAP Network Ireland, Centre for Applied Bioscience Research, and local authorities and regional assemblies. All organisations within the network seek to promote engagement, raise awareness of the bioeconomy, and support its advancing development with a wide range of stakeholders.