Government Needs to Invest in Irish Wool Industry Td
Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, Martin Kenny has said that sheep farmers are busy at present shearing, which needs to be done for the welfare of the sheep.
Despite wool being a natural product that has many uses such as clothing, insulation and fertiliser, the price farmers are currently receiving is at "rock bottom", he said.
"It costs more for the farmer to shear the ewe than they get for the fleece. There are many farmers with sheds full of wool for three and four years that they are unable to get sold," the deputy said.
"I am told that some are having to pay to get rid of it."
He said the development of a wool industry in Ireland needs to be state-led, "as we cannot wait for private industry to establish it".
"The government needs to invest in the establishment of a large-scale wool scouring and processing plant," the deputy said.
'There is an industry for wool products in the country and there is a market for Irish wool products.
"However, there are many wool garments sold in Ireland that are made from imported wool such as Merino wool.'Some Irish wool may not be suitable for clothing, but it still has a use in textiles such as carpets and rugs and for insulation."
There is an opportunity for an Irish wool industry that would provide another source of income to farmers and create more jobs in wool processing, the deputy added, and government "needs to step up to the plate here and invest".
The programme for government committed to examining the feasibility of a wool scouring plant in Ireland.
According to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, two research projects are currently underway to assess sustainable approaches to wool scouring in Ireland.
"In 2024, my department announced funding of €574,683 for the Spring Wool research project," the minister said in response to a recent parliamentary question.
"Among other things, this project is examining the feasibility of a mobile wool scouring unit that is compliant with wastewater regulations.
"The treatment of wastewater from the scouring process is a major obstacle to the growth of the wool sector. The work is being coordinated by the Munster Technological University."
The second research project, Regenerative Value Systems for Irish Grown Wool in Ireland, is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"This project is examining the economics of wool production within a circular bioeconomy," the minister explained.
"Key objectives are to investigate various business models for scalable scouring and to assess the potential for local scouring across the island of Ireland."
He said his department will examine the outcome of both research projects, "which will help inform government of the feasibility of establishing a scouring plant in Ireland".
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