Helena McMahon

The transition to a circular bioeconomy is increasingly recognised as a critical pathway for achieving climate neutrality and resource use efficiency in Ireland. However, this transition is highly dependent on the availability of a skilled workforce capable of operating across interconnected bio-based sectors. Ireland’s National Bioeconomy Action Plan recognises the critical role that skills and knowledge will play in this transition. This study develops a comprehensive taxonomy of skills required to support the transition to a circular bioeconomy, with a specific focus on key Irish primary bioeconomy sectors (agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture) and traditional industries (food processing, wood, textiles, and construction). A qualitative systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Peer-reviewed articles were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases and complemented with relevant Irish and European grey literature. A total of 96 publications were analysed using thematic analysis to identify and synthesise sector-specific and cross-sectoral competencies. The taxonomy organises circular bioeconomy skills into five overarching competence domains (systems-thinking, sustainability, circularity and bioeconomy/biotechnology, and digital skills). Findings reveal that while each sector has unique skills, a set of shared skills is consistently critical across all sectors. The identified competencies were subsequently organised into a structured taxonomy and mapped to Ireland’s National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), establishing progressive proficiency levels from awareness (NFQ 5–6) through practitioner (NFQ 7–8) to expert (NFQ 9–10). This competency progression framework represents the principal contribution of the study, translating the taxonomy into a practical tool for curriculum development, workforce planning, professional development, and policy implementation.

European bioeconomy policies stress the need for responsible, efficient feedstock use and timely, comprehensive data on ecosystems and bioeconomic activities. This paper addresses the data gap by: (i) providing holistic county-level (sub-NUTS3) biomass maps for the Republic of Ireland (RoI), covering primary feedstocks (PFs) and secondary feedstocks (SFs, i.e., by-products and waste); (ii) identifying feedstock uses during the study period. In total, 221 feedstocks were mapped: 85 solid PFs (approx. 43 million tonnes dry matter (tDM) nationally) and 136 solid SFs (approx. 6 million tDM nationally), plus 6 liquid PFs (approx. 18 thousand million m³ nationally) and 8 liquid SFs (approx. 39 thousand million m³ nationally). The mapping indicates that environmentally sustainable bio-based value chains (BBVCs) requiring large amounts of solid or liquid SF should prioritise processing sites near major feedstock sources in the southeast and southwest of the RoI. The northwest and east coast have the lowest availability, while the west and midlands have the most variety in quantity and type of feedstock. Counties with abundant feedstocks do not necessarily have high feedstock diversity, except for Cork. Granular sub-NUTS3 mapping of quantities and fate provides a powerful foundation for future feedstock strategies and empowers stakeholders to design innovative BBVCs.

The transition to a green economy requires a workforce equipped with green skills to meet the demands of sustainable development and environmental stewardship. This study investigates the alignment between university educational outcomes and industry requirements in Ireland, addressing the persistent gap in green skills. Using a mixed-methods approach, surveys were conducted with students from three Irish universities and companies across diverse sectors. The findings reveal a strong recognition of the importance of green skills among students and companies, yet significant barriers remain. Students report challenges in accessing practical learning experiences, balancing education with personal commitments, and navigating the costs of green certifications. Companies acknowledge the growing need for sustainability expertise but often fail to integrate green skills into recruitment and training strategies, citing high competition for talent and limited awareness of emerging green roles. This study highlights the need for systemic changes in both education and industry. Universities should adopt experiential learning approaches, expand industry collaborations, and ensure flexible access to green education. Companies must prioritise upskilling programmes and align hiring practices with sustainability goals. Policymakers are encouraged to foster public–private partnerships and incentivise investments in green skills development. Addressing these challenges can strengthen the country’s position as a leader in the global green transition, fostering innovation and inclusivity in its workforce.

To support the ambitious bioeconomy vision outlined in Ireland’s Bioeconomy Action Plan, there is an urgent need to bring together the necessary stakeholders required to implement this vision. Farmers and other primary producers who oversee the production of sustainable biomass constitute one of the most important categories of stakeholders in the bio-based value chain. To ensure scalable, long-lasting bioeconomy collaboration, it is essential that farmers are involved in developing this bioeconomy vision. The current study provides a mixed-methods approach to co-design a green biorefinery vision with Irish farmers and other key value-chain actors. The selected value chain targeting a medium-scale grass silage biorefinery focused on the production of eco-insulation materials, with protein and biogas co-products for local markets. This was then assessed economically using an economic model, which provided a payback period of five years. To identify suitable sites for deployment of the green biorefinery in rural areas, geographical information systems (GIS) analysis was undertaken, considering various environmental, socio-economic and infrastructural variables, which identified 26 potential sites for deployment of the green biorefinery model in Ireland. This study found that early engagement with and inclusion of the farmers in a co-designed process of innovation and alternative revenue streams for them is essential. While a preferred cooperative-based business model for a grass silage biorefinery was identified in consultation with the multiple stakeholders, further research on its long-term commercial sustainability is proposed as future research.

Bone tissue engineering is a promising treatment for bone loss that requires a combination of porous scaffold and osteogenic cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate and develop a tricomposite, biomimetic scaffold consisting of marine-derived biomaterials, namely, chitosan and fucoidan with hydroxyapatite (HA). The effects of chitosan, fucoidan and HA individually and in combination on the proliferation and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were investigated. According to the SEM results, the tricomposite scaffold had a uniform porous structure, which is a key requirement for cell migration, proliferation and vascularisation. The presence of HA and fucoidan in the chitosan tricomposite scaffold was confirmed using FTIR, which showed a slight decrease in porosity and an increase in the density of the tricomposite scaffold compared to other formulations. Fucoidan was found to inhibit cell proliferation at higher concentrations and at earlier time points when applied as a single treatment, but this effect was lost at later time points. Similar results were observed with HA alone. However, both HA and fucoidan increased MSC mineralisation as measured by calcium deposition. Differentiation was significantly enhanced in MSCs cultured on the tricomposite, with increased alkaline phosphatase activity on days 17 and 25. In conclusion, the tricomposite is biocompatible, promotes osteogenesis, and has the structural and compositional properties required of a scaffold for bone tissue engineering. This biomaterial could provide an effective treatment for small bone defects as an alternative to autografts or be the basis for cell attachment and differentiation in ex vivo bone tissue engineering.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body, composed of a diverse range of cell types, non-cellular components, and an extracellular matrix. With aging, molecules that are part of the extracellular matrix undergo qualitative and quantitative changes and the effects, such as a loss of skin firmness or wrinkles, can be visible. The changes caused by the aging process do not only affect the surface of the skin, but also extend to skin appendages such as hair follicles. In the present study, the ability of marine-derived saccharides, L-fucose and chondroitin sulphate disaccharide, to support skin and hair health and minimize the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic aging was investigated. The potential of the tested samples to prevent adverse changes in the skin and hair through stimulation of natural processes, cellular proliferation, and production of extracellular matrix components collagen, elastin, or glycosaminoglycans was investigated. The tested compounds, L-fucose and chondroitin sulphate disaccharide, supported skin and hair health, especially in terms of anti-aging effects. The obtained results indicate that both ingredients support and promote the proliferation of dermal fibroblasts and dermal papilla cells, provide cells with a supply of sulphated disaccharide GAG building blocks, increase ECM molecule production (collagen and elastin) by HDFa, and support the growth phase of the hair cycle (anagen).

Marine algal species comprise of a large portion of polysaccharides which have shown multifunctional properties and health benefits for treating and preventing human diseases. Laminarin, or β-glucan, a storage polysaccharide from brown algae, has been reported to have potential pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-coagulant, anticancer, immunomodulatory, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and neuroprotective potential. It has been widely investigated as a functional material in biomedical applications as it is biodegradable, biocompatible, and is low toxic substances. The reported preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate the potential of laminarin as natural alternative agents in biomedical and industrial applications such as nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, functional food, drug development/delivery, and cosmeceuticals. This review summarizes the biological activities of laminarin, including mechanisms of action, impacts on human health, and reported health benefits. Additionally, this review also provides an overview of recent advances and identifies gaps and opportunities for further research in this field. It further emphasizes the molecular characteristics and biological activities of laminarin in both preclinical and clinical settings for the prevention of the diseases and as potential therapeutic interventions.