National Just Transition Fund
- Published on: 19 June 2020
- Last updated on: 3 June 2025
Please note – The below information is only for the National Just Transition Fund 2020. The Fund is closing at the end of 2024. Access information and updates regarding the EU Just Transition Fund 2021-2027.
The National Just Transition Fund (JTF) was made available in 2020 as a key pillar of the Government’s plan for the Midlands region to support communities transitioning to a low carbon economy. The focus was on retraining workers and generating sustainable employment in green enterprise across the region.
The objective of the Fund was to facilitate innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the Wider Midlands region (including East Galway, Kildare, Laois, Longford, North Tipperary, Offaly, Roscommon and Westmeath) and have significant employment and enterprise potential. The Fund supported projects that take a whole-of-Midlands strategic approach and complement other sources of public funding.
The projects selected for funding represent innovative and inspiring plans from businesses, local authorities and communities in the Midlands who are committed to creating a green and sustainable economy for the region in order to make the region a more attractive and sustainable place to live and work. The Fund supported training and reskilling so that local businesses and communities can adjust to a low-carbon transition.
Supported projects are diverse and cover a range of opportunities for the region. They include new enterprise hubs, local business development, research and exploratory studies, tourism and heritage projects, and opportunities for reskilling.
56 projects were selected for funding through a competitive process. 16 projects started project delivery in September 2020 and 40 larger value projects started project delivery from June 2021.
The Fund is providing a maximum of €22.1 million in grant funding to the projects. These projects were expected to bring €15 million in additional funding to the region and support an estimated 178 direct and 999 indirect jobs, as reported by the grantees.
Details of all projects supported under the national Just Transition Fund are listed below:
Category 1 – Business Development
Category 2 – Education, Training and Upskilling
Category 3 – Development of Co-Working and Enterprise Hubs
Category 4 - Renewable Energies and Retrofitting
Category 5 – Tourism, Heritage and Restoration
Category 6 – Community Development and Capacity Building
Category 7 – Greenways and Walking
State Aid
State Aid is the name given in the EU to a subsidy provided by government (including state bodies) that distorts competition and affects trade between EU Member States. EU State Aid rules may apply to the award of funding under the Just Transition Fund. State Aid is reviewed on a case-by-case basis from the project applications received. There are two State Aid regulations applicable to the Just Transition Fund: the De Minimis Regulation and the General Block Exemptions Regulations (GBER). The level of support provided to any project will be determined by European Union State Aid rules under the GBER.
Fund Documents
For more information on the Fund, please email jtf@dcee.gov.ie
Read more about our progress on implementing a Just Transition