Irish wool at Bloom Festival
Senator Collins welcomed the Bloom Festival but criticised the presence of products labelled as Irish wool when they include imported merino, and pointed to Galway Wool as a better example.
I want to start by wishing all the exhibitors well this weekend at the Bloom Festival, where we showcase the best of our gardening, Irish products, food and sustainable living. As Senators know, it is sponsored by Bord Bia. It was raised with me over the last couple of days that there will be exhibitors there showcasing Irish wool. The Irish wool that they showcase actually has a product that is imported called merino, which means it is not actually 100% Irish wool. There is a company called Galway Wool. I have dealt with Blátnaid Gallagher from Galway Wool in the past through committee and other engagements. Hers is one of the only companies in Ireland that is 100% Irish wool. It is important to promote Irish business also, so I am not giving out that there are other companies there, because they are Irish businesses. However, it would be nice to see our Irish products being showcased also. It comes back a little to the issue with labelling when it comes to this country as to whether the product itself is an Irish product or whether it is imported or there are ingredients within the product that are imported. It is very important we ensure that if something is being promoted by us or by Bord Bia, we are promoting it correctly and making sure that people understand if it is a fully Irish product or if there is a percentage of it that is not. However, I want to wish everyone well. It is going to be a fantastic event. Thankfully, they seem to have the weather in their favour for it which means it will be even better. With lots of people coming into the city for the weekend there will be a great buzz around the place. I wish all the exhibitors the best of luck but going forward it would be nice to see our products as well as our businesses being promoted when they are 100% Irish.