Press release
€6 million of Community Support Funding announced for projects in the Midlands
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
Minister Darragh O'Brien has announced the award of almost €6 million of Community Support Funding to 10 community-led projects in the Midlands under the EU Just Transition Fund Programme.
The projects were awarded through a third competitive call for proposals in the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme (LRESSS). LRESSS is co-funded by the government and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund programme.
This call was aimed at funding Local Economic and Community Plans to provide new employment opportunities, for workers and communities that were heavily dependent on peat extraction. It provides targeted support to projects that will boost resilience of communities and the economic fabric of the wider Midlands.
The projects approved for funding will deliver significant benefits to the region, including:
This notice comes just a few days after the announcement of another group of 17 projects that have successfully received funding from the EU Just Transition Fund programme, within Fáilte Ireland’s Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs. Today's announcement means that there are now over 80 projects that have received funding from the various schemes under the EU Just Transition programme.
The Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme (LRESSS) was developed through close collaboration between the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) as the Managing Authority for the EU Just Transition Fund. It is administered through Pobal. It seeks to support the implementation of bottom-up local and regional strategies.
Commenting on the projects approved for funding, Minister O'Brien said:
"This call has been targeted at the people and communities most effected by the cessation of peat extraction in the Midlands. The selected projects represent an important part of the journey to a lower carbon-future which is fair for all. I look forward to witnessing the benefits to the social fabric, economy and environment that these initiatives will provide."
Clare Bannon, Acting Director of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA), said:
"EMRA is delighted to see the fund supporting these projects under the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme. These projects, in conjunction with others supported by the EU Just Transition Fund programme, play a crucial role in driving locally-led regional development and building a stronger, more sustainable future for the communities in the Midlands. We are proud to be able to support these unique project ideas that demonstrate the ingenuity that exists in the communities in the Midlands."
This is a new opportunity for project funding using resources under the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme. The call was aimed at a subset of counties from within the EU Just Transition Territory, following an evidence-based analysis of impacts and funding distribution. Successful projects were required to demonstrate close alignment with locally-defined Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs) and Local Economic and Community Plans (LECPs).
Projects operating in the following areas were eligible to apply under this call: Laois, Offaly, Longford and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe (Co Galway), Athy and Clane-Maynooth, (Co Kildare).
| Project | Lead organisation | Project description | County | Approved funding amount * |
| Longford Enterprise and Energy Centre | Longford County Council | Under this project, the historical former post office building in Longford town will be refurbished to serve several uses, including setting up co-working spaces, the county tourism office and public event spaces. | Longford | €793,822 |
| The Dalton Centre – Enabling the Transition to Net Zero | Offaly County Council | Under this project, the vacant industrial building of Dalton Centre in Shannonbridge will be upgraded through the provision of basic services so that it can be used for training or job creation in construction and renewable energy sectors. | Offaly | €1 million |
| Kildare's Green Upskilling Programme | County Kildare Leader Partnership CLG | Under this project, a bespoke training programme focused on low-carbon, circular economy practices is being delivered to marginalised individuals in Athy and Clane-Maynooth with low education and limited employment opportunities. | Kildare | €709,314 |
| GreenSkills Reboot: Empowering the transition to a sustainable future through skills bootcamps | Generation: You Employed, Ireland CLG | Under this project, four green skills bootcamps are being delivered in the Midlands that focus on Solar PV Panel Installation and Retrofit Advisory. | Meath** | €235,448 |
| RegenTEC – Regeneration Training and Education Centre | Kildare County Council | Under this project, a vacant former secondary school in Athy is being developed into a hub for Regenerative Economic Development. The hub will be used for training and educational activities on sustainable and a low carbon economy. | Kildare | €998,802 |
| Development of Canal Road Business Park, Portarlington | Laois County Council | Under this project, capital works will be undertaken on the former Avon site at Canal Road, Portarlington to upgrade it to a business park and to attract enterprises. | Laois | €999,963 |
| Wetlands Wastewater treatment plant | Allenwood Community Development Association CLG | Under the project, a new wastewater treatment plant will be constructed to ensure operational continuity and sustainability of the Allenwood Community Development Association. The overall wetlands treatment system will also create green spaces and wildlife habitats. | Kildare | €287,653 |
| Glas don Saol | The County Kildare Local Employment Service Network CLG | Under this project, 300 people in Athy and Clane-Maynooth will be assisted to identify their skills and interests and develop a career path within the green economy through the provision of a high-quality Career Guidance service. | Kildare | €299,491 |
| Kilcormac Sustainable Development Project | Kilcormac Development Association | Under this project, a new tourist office will be developed in Offaly to serve as an ecotourism hub with EV charging points and bicycle repair services. | Offaly | €231,787.68 |
| Ballinasloe Enterprise Hub: Empowering Local Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Employment | Ballinasloe Area Community Development | Under this project, the recently renovated office space of the Ballinasloe Enterprise Hub will be operationalised by resourcing it with staff and equipment. The Hub will focus on the development of business in key sectors such as digital services, healthcare, MedTech and climate change by highlighting its offerings and providing high quality networking events and training sessions | Galway | €263,479 |
* subject to grant agreement
** Generation: You Employed is based in Meath, however, the project is being delivered in the Midlands Designated Territory
ENDS
Ireland’s EU Just Transition Fund programme is targeted at the wider Midlands region as it transitions away from peat extraction for energy use. The designated EU JTF territory in Ireland is defined as the counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe (County Galway), Athy, Clane-Maynooth, (County Kildare) and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles (County Tipperary).
Organisations that were eligible to apply for funding under this call of the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme included:
The purpose of the EU Just Transition Fund (EU JTF), co-funded by the government and the European Union, is to assist the territories most affected by the transition to a climate-neutral economy. In Ireland, this focuses on the wider Midlands region, where there have been direct impacts from the move away from peat production and electricity generation from peat. Up to €169 million, using Exchequer and EU resources, will be available in the Fund to facilitate a just transition towards a low-carbon economy in the Midlands.
By providing opportunities for employment in the Territory, the EU JTF can help to create an inclusive, attractive, healthy and sustainable place to live, work and visit.
The programme priorities of the EU JTF are as follows:
The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) are the Managing Authority for Ireland's EU Just Transition Fund Programme. Further information, including programme documentation, and links to information about open and future funding calls, is available on the EMRA website.