24th October 2025 |
Open Consultations
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is seeking the views of interested stakeholders to inform the development of a new National Life Sciences Strategy which is a key commitment in the Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future.
The aim of the strategy is to ensure that this important sector remains competitive and that government adopts a coherent and ambitious approach to future opportunities. The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment invites you to take part in this public consultation process.
This is a first step in the public consultation process for the development of the strategy and further consultations may follow.
Background
Life sciences is the study of living organisms and the processes that sustain life. The life sciences sector - which includes (bio)pharmaceuticals and medical technologies - plays a vital role in modern society. It drives medical innovation, supports disease prevention, and enables the development of new treatments that improve health and quality of life.
The life sciences sector is a substantial contributor to the economy of Ireland. The sector accounts for circa 100,000 jobs and last year accounted for just under €100 billion in exports. It is also a key sector attracting foreign and indigenous investments in research and development, and significant capital expenditure.
Ireland has developed a cohesive and integrated life sciences cluster consisting of highly innovative indigenous companies, large well-established foreign direct investment multinationals, a continually developing world-class research base, and a strong industry-focused clinical community. This vibrant ecosystem positions Ireland as a global leader in life sciences, with significant potential for further growth in the years ahead.
The development of a strategy will provide a clear, coordinated roadmap to strengthen Ireland’s position as a global leader in life sciences, foster innovation and ensure sustainable economic growth. It will also seek to align with emerging EU policies and global trends, ensuring that Ireland remains competitive and agile in an evolving healthcare and technology landscape.
The purpose of this consultation is to engage with stakeholders across the life sciences ecosystem - including industry, academia, healthcare providers, patient groups and the wider public - to shape a strategy that reflects shared priorities and ambitions. Your input will help us identify the key actions needed to support research and development, enhance skills and talent supporting more high value jobs, identify opportunities to support timely and equitable access to innovative medicines and products for patients, and create an environment that encourages investment and collaboration.
Key thematic questions
Views are welcome from interested stakeholders across the life sciences ecosystem. Submissions should be structured according to the themes of scope, objectives, opportunities and challenges, and EU context, outlined below.
Scope
Life sciences span multiple sectors, including (bio)pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, agriculture, fisheries and food production.
In your view, how broad should the scope of the strategy be?
Objectives
What should be the key objectives of the National Life Sciences Strategy to ensure the sector’s long-term success?
For example: research and innovation, global competitiveness, patient outcomes, talent and skills, sustainability
Opportunities and challenges
What do you see as the main opportunities and challenges for Ireland’s life sciences sector over the next decade that this strategy should address?
EU context
The European Commission recently published an EU Life Sciences Strategy aiming to position the EU as the world’s most attractive location for life sciences by 2030.
What are your views on this ambition and the measures proposed to achieve it? How could these be applied in the Irish context?
Consultation responses
Views from stakeholders and interested parties on the public consultation are requested no later than 5pm on Friday, 5 December 2025.
Submissions should be marked 'National Life Sciences Strategy Consultation' and should be emailed to lifesciences@enterprise.gov.ie.
Information on consultation process
Freedom of Information Act 2014 and publication of submissions
The department will make public on its website all submissions received under this consultation. Your attention is also drawn to the fact that information provided to the department may be disclosed in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2014. Therefore, should you consider that any information you provide is commercially sensitive, please identify same, and specify the reason for its sensitivity.
The department will consult with you regarding information identified by you as sensitive before publishing or otherwise disclosing it.
General Data Protection Regulation
Respondents should note that the General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’) entered into force in Ireland on 25 May 2018 and it is intended to give individuals more control over their personal data.
The key principles under the regulation are as follows:
- lawfulness, fairness and transparency
- purpose limitation
- data minimisation
- accuracy
- storage limitation
- integrity and confidentiality
- accountability
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is subject to the provisions of the regulation in relation to personal data collected by it from 25 May 2018. Any personal information which you volunteer to this department, will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, strictly in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 to 2018.
Topics:
Enterprise Innovation, Trade and Investment, The Business Environment