A Chathaoirligh agus a chomhaltaí. Táimid an bhuíoch díbh faoi chuireadh a
thabhairt don Údarás plé a dhéanamh libh ar an gceist thábhachtach seo
“Feamainn a cheadúnú agus a bhaint in Éirinn”. Ba mhaith liom achoimre a
dhéanamh ar na príomhphointí atá inár n-aighneacht, atá ar fáil díbh.
Údarás na Gaeltachta
Údarás na Gaeltachta has spent more than 30 years successfully implementing an integrated
development programme and creating new sources of sustainable employment for the
Gaeltacht community. It has done this through the effective management of grant-aid
schemes and the administration of other development, investment and advisory supports
which serve to underwrite the sustainability of the local community through identifying and
exploiting new development opportunities. The organisation’s strategy is built upon an
integrated approach which addresses the economic, cultural, linguistic and social
requirements of the Gaeltacht community.
Údarás na Gaeltachta’s executive is well placed to deliver on the agency’s statutory
objectives. These objectives include the development of indigenous enterprises and the
attraction of external investment, including FDI, and the implementation of a language and
cultural development programme which lies at the heart of the organisation’s development
strategy for the Gaeltacht.
Economic Impact
Annual surveys undertaken by Forfás demonstrate the significant influence of the Údarás na
Gaeltachta strategy not only on the Gaeltacht economy but also on the national economy.
According to ABSEI/Forfás research, Údarás na Gaeltachta’s activities illustrate an economic
return of €1.62 billion through the trading activity of its client companies. The following key
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economic indicators demonstrate a significant return on State investment through the
implementation of Údarás na Gaeltachta’s strategy.1, 2

There are 7,000 people employed in Údarás na Gaeltachta assisted enterprises (90%
of which are located in the coastal zone) with an overall economic impact of
€907.5m.

In terms of export sales, Údarás client companies contribute €464m through export
sales which amounts to some 59% of the overall contribution.

These companies also contribute some €71m in tax returns to the exchequer on an
annual basis and spend an estimated €410m within the Irish economy on payroll
services and Irish economy sourced materials.
Our current development strategy seeks to exploit the enterprise potential in key sectors
including the marine, tourism and sectors based on natural resources.
Developments in the Irish Coastal Area
The Gaeltacht coastline extends over some 2,500km from Donegal in the north to Ring in
Co. Waterford. In spatial terms it constitutes some 25% of the overall Irish coastline and
includes the 6 offshore Gaeltacht Islands. The coastal zone has a population of some 71,367
people which reside within a 10km radius from the coast. Within this zone, 6,500 jobs are
sustained by Údarás client companies.
The geographically dispersed nature of these coastal districts, along with the significant
deficits in the physical and telecommunications infrastructure, create a very challenging
environment for the creation of new enterprise development opportunities and
employment. On the other hand, these districts have demonstrated real competitive
advantage as attractive locations for developing and maintaining successful enterprises.
The advantages include:

The valuable coastal resource – Mariculture, Seaweed, Food, Energy and Tourism

The availability of a highly skilled workforce with an extensive range of available skills
relevant to the requirements of a mixed enterprise base
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2
Indecon, 2014
ABSEI
2

Access to the research capability of third-level education institutes which include the
Letterkenny Institute of Technology, The National University of Ireland, Galway, The
Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology in Castlebar and Galway, The Institute of
Technology Tralee, the Marine Institute at University College Cork, and the Institute
of Technology in Waterford

A strong co-operative network with development and investment agencies which
include BIM, Foras na Mara, SmartBay, IFI, EI, IDA, The Western Development
Commission, SOLAS, and the local authorities (the Gaeltacht is served by 7 County
Councils which discharge a statutory mandate for development in the Gaeltacht).
Údarás na Gaeltachta has benefitted from a longstanding, effective and productive
co-operative relationship with BIM and has representatives on a number of their
sectoral committees.
In the current challenging environment, Údarás has targeted a number of development
objectives which includes supporting the creation of strong innovative enterprises which
have the capacity to contribute to wealth-creation and employment in the Gaeltacht. This
objective is achieved through supporting new start-ups and through an extensive
programme of aftercare support for the existing enterprise-base which focuses on the
maintenance of the existing employment base and the identification and encouragement of
new investment.
In order to realise these objectives, action and investment will be required in a number of
initiatives over the next three years. These actions will include the:
 Establishment of Coastal Innovation Centres which will target these sectors:

Seaweed

Mariculture

Food

Tourism
 Support for our client base in undertaking new developments building on the latent
coastal resource and support for enterprises which are involved in sub-supply and
servicing of the sectors mentioned above
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 Support for Gaeltacht companies in these sectors by means of financial incentives
and other supports
 Development of further strategic partnerships and alliances through networking with
key stakeholders who share responsibility for delivering on a common agenda to
develop the coastal resource in the Gaeltacht
As part of our Corporate Strategy we have identified a number of growth sectors where
seaweed is a key component including:

Life Sciences – medical devices, medical technologies and Nutraceuticals

Mariculture – fish farming and shellfish and the development of new species

Food – with a particular emphasis on niche products in the seafood sector
Údarás na Gaeltachta’s role in the context of the Seaweed Sector
There is a significant and expanding global market for seaweed with a total output of almost
16 million tonnes, valued at $7.4billion. 3
The Irish seaweed industry is following international trends and is expanding, albeit at a
slower rate. The sector employs nearly 200 people, exports 85-90% of seaweed products
and has a turnover of €18 million per annum.4 The Irish seaweed resource and industry is
based primarily on inter-tidal harvesting. The main geographical focus is on the coastal
areas of the Connemara, Mayo and Donegal, much of which is in the Gaeltacht.
The seaweed sector has been one of the key drivers of the coastal economy in the Gaeltacht
over many years. This is true in terms of employment for harvesters and processors but also
for onshore employment for those who provide facilities and logistical supports including
transport services. In addition to this, the raw materials generic to the sector are of
particular importance to the processing companies within the Gaeltacht. The area where
the resource is relatively abundant would be regarded as fíor Ghaeltacht (especially in
3
FOA- Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations,
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2010,
4
Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit, NUI Galway, Irelands Ocean Economy, 2011.
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Connemara) and the harvesters as daily speakers of Irish as their first language. We
recognise the importance of conserving this traditional way of life and its role in preserving
and developing the language as a community language in this area.
Despite the apparent availability of an abundant, sustainable, natural resource, the
potential of the industry is not realised. The seaweed resource being used is limited in the
main to high-volume, low value products (such as animal feeds, plants supplements and
agricultural products). A smaller proportion goes into higher value products such as foods,
cosmetics and therapies. There is a need to assess biomass to explore options for the
various uses and by-products which can be extracted from available species. Additionally,
the licencing regime presents very specific challenges for the development of the coastal
districts.
In 2008, Údarás na Gaeltachta commissioned the Coastal and Marine Research Centre
(CMRC), University College Cork, to conduct a review and prepare a strategy for the
development of the Gaeltacht coastal zone5 . The seaweed resource was singled out for
particular focus in this review. A number of actions were identified under a series of broad
objectives, namely:
- Promoting the implementation of acceptable, efficient and sustainable seaweed harvesting
- Enhancing the competiveness of the sector
- Developing a knowledge-based entrepreneurial sector
Across all objectives the clear message was that action was required on regulations and
sustainable resource management.
Development of the Seaweed Sector
Although there is a strong and emerging interest in the potential of the wild seaweed
industry, it faces a number of significant constraints most notably the lack of data on total
and harvestable biomass and species distribution; the absence of a sustainable
5
CMRC, UCC, Resource Development Strategy for the Gaeltacht Coastal Zone, 2008
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management plan and regulatory framework for the Irish seaweed resource; and the
absence of significant R&D in the sector.
While the development opportunities for the seaweed sector are substantial growth and
development can only be achieved by identifying the resources available, addressing the
management of that resource and then adding value by expanding the product range.
Our current portfolio of companies are involved in an extensive research programme
focussing on the seaweed resource with a view to developing a broad range of new
products and projects. While Ascophyllum Nodosum is the species mostly processed
currently, there are many other species available (up to 500 species with the potential to
commercialise at least 20).
Interest in seaweed based enterprise is increasing with entrepreneurs keen to develop
businesses using this resource. For these businesses to develop they require investment,
which is currently difficult to attract given the lack of licences issued. In our view there is a
need for a comprehensive appraisal of the seaweed resource to determine its potential
contribution to the coastal economy. It is on the basis of such research that the State can
prepare detailed future plans and take a proactive approach to developing the sector.
The State regulatory structure in its present guise has and will continue to create a blockage
in the development of the sector. The current lack of resources within the Department of
Environment, Community and Local Government and other state organisations means that
the consultation process for licensing applications can be quite time consuming and thereby
causes delays. Speeding up this process would allow commercial enterprises to plan more
effectively.
In light of the work of the Joint sub-committee on Fisheries and the input of this committee
on its review and recommendations on the ‘Maritime Area & Foreshore (Amendment) Bill
(2013) members will know that An tÚdarás is of the view that commercial, competitive
harvesting can only be managed through a regulated environment where full exploitation
on an ecological, environmental and economically sustainable basis can be optimised.
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The pending amendments to the regulatory framework are to be welcomed therefore, if
they can be applied in a timely manner and achieve, as set out, an alignment of the
foreshore consent system and provide a coherent mechanism to facilitate and sustainably
manage development activity in the coastal zone. It should be noted, however, that it is our
view that the regulatory process would have a more strategic impact under the stewardship
of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Conclusion
Traditionally, the coastal Gaeltacht communities have been dependent on the marine
resource and this resource has been integral to the overall economic, social and cultural
development of the Gaeltacht. It is imperative that every support and development
opportunity is provided to these vulnerable and marginal coastal communities so as to
ensure their on-going viability. Such supports can be delivered in an integrated fashion
through financial and development measures which will create employment and local added
value.
We believe that An tÚdarás possesses the required expertise and experience in local
economic regeneration, in enterprise development and in delivering community based and
sectoral initiatives which support such communities.
We would be very happy to expand on any aspect of this presentation and to respond to
any questions which the members might wish to submit to us.
Le mór mheas,
_________________
Steve Ó Cúláin
Chief Executive
1 July 2014
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