Galway has played a key role in the development of a marine roadmap which sets out to double the value of Ireland's ocean wealth to 2.4% of GDP by 2030.

That's according to Taoiseach Enda Kenny who launched the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth plan at the Marine Institute in Oranmore this afternoon.

Under the plan, three high level goals are set to tap into the global market for seafood, tourism, oil and gas and other areas such as renewable energy.

Nine government departments are backing the initiative which has a turnover target for 2020 of 6.4 billion euro.

Speaking to Galway Bay fm news at the launch, Taosieach Enda Kenny praised the the Institute's Dr Peter Heffernan and his staff for setting out the first key stepping stone as Ireland now looks towards the sea for economic growth.