Southern Region, Ireland

Regional vision

A Working Document to inform Regional Circular Bioeconomy & Structures that can serve as a building block for the further development of a regional circular bioeconomy policy for the Southern Region.

Status of implementation of the bioeconomy

The Southern Region of Ireland has significant strengths in the circular bioeconomy which present an area of opportunity and growth for the region as well as providing a pathway to achieving Ireland’s climate action targets. Due to extensive natural and infrastructure resources, the Southern Region has huge potential to inform and lead the way in the bioeconomy in Ireland. There is no specific regional bioeconomy strategy for the Southern Region of Ireland, however there are a number of national and regional strategies that inform regional bioeconomy development. For example, nationally, there is a National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy and a Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy. Regionally, the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Southern Region sets out a 12-year strategic development framework for the Southern Region identifying key priorities for investment. It provides the framework through which the National Planning Frameworks and related Government policies and objectives will be delivered for the Region. The RSES has placed action on climate change at the heart of its strategy and will develop relevant Action Plans with the appropriate stakeholders to implement this change. A key regional planning objective (RPO) in the RSES is the development of the rural economy through supporting a sustainable and economically efficient agricultural and food sector, together with the bioeconomy and the development of a Regional Decarbonisation Plan. In line with the upcoming programming period the RSES also places strong emphasis on sustainable economic development recognising Smart Specialisation as one of the key drivers.

The Munster Technological University (MTU) CircBio Research Group and the Southern Regional Assembly has a leading role in supporting sustainable regional development including the development of a circular bioeconomy in the Southern Region. The Southern Regional Assembly are responsible for the implementation of the RSES and for supporting balanced, sustainable regional development. MTU leads the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster South-West which supports enterprise profit, collaboration and training within the region.

Feedstocks

There is an abundance of renewable feedstocks in the region, such as seaweed, manure, grass, food waste, peat and biomass. The most abundant biomass feedstocks that can be found in the region include grasses, cattle manure and slurry, cheese industry waste, meat and bone meals, cattle industry waste, pig and chicken manure and cereal straws. There are smaller arisings of energy crops, spent mushroom compost and horticultural residues. Forestry harvest and residues can be also found like woodchips and sawmill residues. Aquatic biomass such macroalgae and seaweed is available in coastal regions, while urban waste such as organic food waste is generated in dwellings, towns and cities.