Irish Minister of State at the department of agriculture, food and the marine Pippa Hackett recently announced that she is looking for inputs from stakeholders to guide the commissioning of a major feasibility study on wool. She urged those interested to identify what they see as market opportunities for wool and also to contribute to the development of terms of reference for the study.
“Wool is plentiful in this country and I am really keen to see how we can make the best of it. That is why I was so pleased to secure €100,000 for what I see as a major piece of work assessing whether or not we can develop a variety of wool products for national and international markets. I expect to be going to market for a firm to conduct the feasibility study sometime in May, but before I do that, I want to consult with stakeholders to make sure we get the Terms of Reference right. Good information comes from identifying the right questions and we want to be sure we have done that,” the Minister said.
“Wool is sustainable and wool is renewable, so it makes great sense for us to see where its potential lies. While its use in textiles is of course established, it is also an organic, low carbon, natural material which can perhaps be used, viably, in a wide range of products such as fertilisers, insulation and packaging, she said.
The Minister is interested to know where people believe the opportunities are and expects the feasibility study to assist her in developing a roadmap for the Irish wool Industry.
With help and guidance from a Wool Forum Stakeholder Group that she is establishing, she also expects the study to help her shape future policy on wool as envisaged in government programme.
