In December 2024 , the second stakeholders meeting for the Irish Pilot of the PoliRuralPlus project was held online via MS Teams. The primary objectives of the meeting were to validate the roadmap for the Regional Action Plan (RAP) for County Monaghan, gather stakeholder input on the research theme "Advancing the Circular Economy in County Monaghan: Exploring Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Environmental Products and Services," and introduce the project’s innovative tools.

The session opened with a brief overview of the PoliRuralPlus project, highlighting its goals and ongoing activities. The roadmap exercise for the RAP was then presented, outlining findings from prior stakeholder consultations. This included integration with the LEADER programme, a landscape study of the circular economy, project tools application, and next steps in research and action planning.

Stakeholders provided insightful feedback, emphasizing the need to involve private sector actors, address challenges in agricultural and poultry waste management, and incorporate research on sustainable water production and the circular economy's role in industries such as telecommunications and fibre. The importance of exploring composting solutions and their nutritional value was also highlighted.

An introduction to key project tools followed, showcasing the ChatGPT PoliRuralPlus Advisor, JACKDAW, and the Multi-Stakeholder Approach (MAA) Tool. These tools aim to facilitate collaboration, enhance stakeholder engagement, and support knowledge-sharing processes.

The meeting concluded with actionable items, including stakeholder engagement on the circular economy, waste inventory mapping with Monaghan County Council, and sharing finalized project tools and relevant sources on Circular Economy.

The next meeting is planned as an in-person event in April 2025.