A state-of-the-art facility is to be built locally.
Plans for Ireland's first ever centre of excellence for beekeeping are being unveiled in the midlands today.
The Irish Bee Foundation is set to build the new state-of-the-art facility at Lough Boora Boglands in Offaly within the next five years.
It'll be used as a research and teaching facility for beekeepers as well as a visitor centre for the public, to promote beekeeping and biodiversity.
National head offices for the IBF will be included in the development.
The grounds will incorporate training apiaries and auxiliary amenities to facilitate education and public awareness programmes undertaken within the Foundation's Centre of Excellence.
President of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations, Paul O'Brien says it's been a long-time ambition of the group to create a 'home' for beekeeping in Ireland:
The project is being supported by local company Lumcloon Energy and their Korean partners Hanwha Energy.
The official announcement of the Irish Bee Foundation Centre of Excellence will take place at 12 noon today at the site of the proposed centre at Lough Boora.
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