The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) has launched a public consultation on a new National Life Sciences Strategy designed to ensure Ireland’s life sciences sector remains globally competitive.
Policy Context
Developing a new National Life Sciences Strategy was identified as a key commitment in Programme for Government 2025. This commitment is reinforced in the government’s recently published Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity which targets publication of a National Life Sciences Strategy in 2026 as a key action under the “Boosting Foreign Direct Investment” theme. The Action Plan also identifies as a priority action the development of large-scale master-planned locations “Next Generation Sites” with property, utility and sustainable infrastructure intended to attract transformational advanced manufacturing investment in key sectors, including life sciences.
The government focus on the life sciences sector reflects policy at an EU level. In July 2025 the EU Commission published an EU Life Sciences Strategy called Choose Europe for life sciences aimed at positioning the EU as the world’s most attractive place for life sciences by 2030. The three key innovation-focussed actions identified in that strategy are:
- Optimising the research and innovation ecosystem – This will involve the Commission developing an EU investment plan to strengthen European clinical research infrastructure and making funding available for research and innovation including the development of new products.
- Enabling rapid market access for life sciences innovations – Here the Commission plans to propose a new EU Biotech Act and will leverage the European Innovation Council funding opportunities.
- Boosting trust, uptake and use of innovation – This will involve the Commission making funding available for areas including climate change adaptation, next-generation vaccines and affordable cancer solutions. There are also plans to set up a Life Sciences Coordination Group to align policies and funding across sectors.
DETE Consultation
In launching the Irish consultation, the DETE highlighted the importance of the initiative given the substantial contribution of the life sciences sector to the Irish economy noting that it accounts for around 100,000 jobs and last year accounted for approximately €100 billion in exports.
The objective of the consultation is to engage with stakeholders across the life sciences sector to include industry, academia, healthcare providers, patient groups and the wider public.
Stakeholders are invited to provide views in response to four thematic questions:
- Scope of the Strategy – This question is asked in the context of the multiple sectors identified in the consultation that could come to be categorised as life sciences including (bio)pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, agriculture, fisheries and food production.
- Key Objectives – This question is framed by reference to what would best ensure the sector’s long-term success and examples provided include research and innovation, global competitiveness, patient outcomes, talent and skills, sustainability.
- Opportunities & Challenges – In responding to this question the DETE asks that submissions to consider the next decade.
- EU Context – How should Ireland respond to the EU Life Sciences Strategy?
Next Steps
Stakeholders and interested parties are invited to submit their views by Friday, 5 December 2025 (5.00pm) and submissions will be published on the DETE’s website. The DETE has indicated that further consultations may follow as they develop the Life Sciences Strategy.
For more information in relation to this topic, please contact Cliona Christle, Partner or your usual A&L Goodbody Life Sciences contact.
