Minister Pippa Hackett announced details on Friday of the company selected to carry out a wool feasibility study into new markets and woollen products.

The Agile Executive has been named the winner of the public tender and the announcement highlights that an experienced consortium comprising of experts from Munster Technological University and Donegal Yarns will carry out the review.

The review will assess potential market opportunities, both nationally and internationally, for wool-based products and produce, culminating in a report with the subsequent findings.

Minister Hackett said: “As a sheep farmer myself, I am only too aware of the challenges and issues facing the wool sector. That’s why I am delighted to announce the appointment of The Agile Executive to conduct this review, which I expect to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.

Roadmap for industry

"I believe the report, when produced, will assist me in developing a roadmap for the Irish wool industry and will assist in shaping future policy on wool as envisaged by me in the programme for government.”

Following the announcement, The Agile Executive consortium lead Patrick Byrne said: "We are delighted to be appointed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to this very important project.

"This is an opportunity to work with key industry stakeholders and primary producers to identify new opportunities to create value-add products from Irish wool that are environmentally and economically sustainable and further contribute to the Irish circular bioeconomy."