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€169M Just Transition Fund Officially Launched

Friday, 28 April 2023 11:18

The fund will benefit counties affected by the move away from fossil fuels.

The €169 million Just Transition fund has been officially launched.

The money, which has been allocated to communities most negatively affected by the move away from fossil fuels and the cessation of commercial peat extraction, and will benefit Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon, and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe, Athy and Clane-Maynooth, and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles.

The funding will be in place until 2027, and will support training and upskilling for former peat workers.

Speaking at the launch this morning, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan says:

"We have secured €169 million for the region in total, including €84.5 million of EU funding along with national co-financing, to ensure that we have a just transition to a green future. It is critical that no one is left behind as Ireland navigates towards the net-zero vision set out in our Climate Action Plan.

While fairness is at the centre of this fund, and the green jobs, green energy and green agriculture that it can support, we also have to ensure that the transition is quick. If it’s not fair it won’t be quick. And if it’s not quick, it won’t be fair. The two aims have to go together. The adoption of this programme represents the culmination of extensive effort at European, national, regional, and local level. I would like to acknowledge and thank all those involved and wish those with the responsibility of implementing the Programme every success in the years ahead."

Minister of State and Longford Westmeath TD Peter Burke says:

"The Programme for the EU Just Transition Fund highlights the extent of new possibilities for enterprise and development under the EU Green Deal. I am proud that this programme has developed through the strong relationships and productive collaboration that Ireland enjoys with our European partners. I welcome the support provided to the midlands as we move away from using peat for power generation, in recognition of the need to support regions across the EU which have been most impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy."

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with special responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett says:

"As someone who lives in the midlands I’m delighted to see this significant investment for the region from the EU Just Transition Fund. I’m particularly pleased with the two flagship initiatives from my Department. The €35 million in funding I am announcing today, for the Midlands Carbon Catchment Study and for Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiatives will develop projects which will engage farmers and landowners to develop products, services and jobs that will be support a sustainable, climate neutral economy right here in the midlands. I encourage all farmers, local community groups, research performing organisations and enterprises to actively engage and collaborate together in these two opportunities so that collectively, we can realise the potential of this region."

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