IRELAND CANNOT afford to wait before investing in the green economy, the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.

Speaking at the organisation’s annual conference, Mary Kelly said there were significant economic opportunities for Ireland in becoming a low-carbon and greener economy.

A new Sustainable Energy Ireland grant scheme will offer financial support to public and private sector organisations for energy upgrades and retrofits.

BioSpark - a newly-formed joint venture between Imperative Energy and Sustainable BioPolymers - has announced its intention to invest €40 million in the development of a next generation bio-processing research, innovation and manufacturing centre in Claremorris, County Mayo. Biospark says the venture will create 180 jobs initially, and could create up to 300 jobs in total over the next three years.

Feasta - the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability - will host a weekend conference titled 'The New Emergency: Managing Risk and Building Resilience in a Resource Constrained World' on the weekend of June 10 - 12 in All Hallows College, Dublin.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and energy minister Eamon Ryan today announced the establishment of a high level action group on the green economy.