Minister Pippa Hackett and Mark Hackett pictured with Derek Coyne, Jimmy Pierce, Nuala O’Mahony (all of Offaly Local Development Company, OLDC), at the proposed site of the Edenderry Community Garden last January. The project was one of 19 projects to be awarded funding under the Community Climate Action funding stream this week.

19 Offaly climate projects awarded funding

Published:

19 climate projects in Offaly are set to share €444,000 in funding from the Community Clomate Action Fund, details of which were announced this week.

The projects range from community gardening in Edenderry to bog restoration in Tullamore, and also include a number of energy projects in areas right across the county, including in Clara, Moneygall, Lusmagh, Clonbullogue and Edenderry.

The Climate Action Fund is a partnership between Offaly County Council and community groups and this year's round of funding was “100% oversubscribed” according to Laois/Offaly Green Party Minister of State, Pippa Hackett, who has urged community groups who were unsuccessful to re-apply next year and to seek out other funding streams in the meantime.

“While I congratulate the 19 Offaly projects who have received funding, I am aware that climate action is not a quick fix, so we need to be planning for next year right now” said Minister Hackett “this is how the Sustainable Energy Communities programme works and I hope that more organisations will explore this option for energy related projects in the future..”

As well as funding being advanced to a number of community groups in Offaly for energy projects, other climate action projects are also to receive funding, including a biodiversity project by Tullamore Tennis Club; a travel project by Pullough Residents' Development Association; a bog restoration project by Tullamore Lions Club and a retrofit project by Offaly Local Development Company CLG at Fiesta Hall in Kilcormac.

Geraldine Grennan
    Published: