The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has welcomed the establishment of an all island Wool Council following a meeting held in the Athlone Springs Hotel on Wednesday night (April 5).

Representatives and stakeholders from the wool sector on both sides of the border will come together on the council to try and meet an overarching goal of improving the Irish wool sector.

The group met for the first time in December of last year, with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) committing to provide €30,000 towards the initial set-up costs of the council.

According to the INHFA, the council will address the challenges facing the wool market, such as the weak return for sheep fleece, which has numerous uses including pest control, insulation and natural fertiliser functions.

Association president Vincent Roddy said that the creation of the entity will "allow a dedicated and continued focus being brought to bear on the uses of wool, bringing stakeholders together to develop solutions".

"Molloy always maintained that a council could be a key component in addressing the poor market returns for wool," said Roddy.

However, the president stressed the need for an improved budget to enable to group to "be an effective force" in improving the market opportunities and deliver stronger wool prices.

The members of the Irish Grown Wool Council include the following:

Chris Weiniger, Donegal Yarns;
Eve Savage, education and outreach manager Circular Bioeconomy Cluster South West, Munster Technological University (MTU);
Sean McNamara, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) National Sheep chair;
Lorna McCormack, director, Wool in School;
Sean Moriarty, Kerry Lamb and Wool Co-op;
Pheilim Molloy, Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA);
Clare McGovern, Rhyme, sustainable Irish wool designer;
Sandra King, Irish Fibre Crafters;
David Heraty, Irish Sheep Shearers Association (ISSA) and Romney Flock;
Jane Harkness Bones, Ulster Wool;
George Graham, ISSA Shearing Training and Farm Safety;
John Joe Fitzgerald, hill sheep farmer;
Deborah Evers, strategic planning and communications (previously Project BAA BAA);
Tom Dunne, ISSA Independent;
Kevin Dooley, Dooley Wool Merchants;
Kevin Comiskey, Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) National Sheep chair;
Pat Coffey, Coffey Wool Exports;
Matthew Carroll, Suck Valley Farm, Galway Wool Co-op;
Fergal Byrne, ICSA Organic chair;
Daryl McLaughlin (Alastair Armstrong), Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU);
Pat Byrne, facilitator, The Agile Executive.

The establishment of an industry led wool counil was one of the key recommendations of the final report of a wool feasability study which was published last summer.

The government-funded report stated that this group would develop and promote Irish wool domestically and internationally and bring together multiple stakeholders to foster collaboration, innovation and scaling activities in the wool sector.

It comes as wool prices continue to remain extremely low, despite the many uses for the fibre.