I welcome the publication of the long-awaited Wool Feasibility Study. Wool has been undervalued and under-utilised for far too long, and now we have a clear pathway towards maximising the true potential of this valuable natural resource.”

“The establishment of a Wool Council and the proposed development of an Irish wool brand are hugely positives steps. The report has clearly identified the vast amount of uses for wool and it is particularly good to see the inclusion of wool-based fertiliser and insulation as key areas of potential growth.”

“I am calling on the Government to immediately put a scheme in place to support farmers in defraying the cost of shearing sheep as an interim measure. A grant of €5.00 per sheep would help farmers as the cost of shearing is now a huge burden on family farms.”

The report illustrates the importance of capturing the benefits of wool as part of our increasingly important circular economy. With food and energy security in focus globally it has never been more important to capitalise on all our domestically produced natural resources and wool is very simple example of how we can achieve this. The potential is in wool and we need to use this feasibility study as a pathway to revitalise the Irish wool industry. However, we need immediate supports for the sheep farmer.