No priority for Offaly projects in €169m Just Transition Fund

Offaly has not been designated by the Government as the county most disadvantaged by the decarbonisation process and projects in the county will not be prioritised for funding through the EU Just Transition Fund, it has emerged.

Recently, the Cabinet approved the Territorial Just Transition Plan, which identifies eight counties or parts of counties to share nearly €169 million from the EU’s Just Transition Fund.

The Just Transition Fund is designed to support communities transitioning to a low carbon economy. A spokesperson for Minister of State Pippa Hackett this week confirmed that Offaly had not been given any prioritised ranking among the eight areas and the entire region was being viewed as one.

“We understand that the allocation of funding will be determined by the strength of applications by local authorities, State agencies, communities and businesses: i.e. how closely they align with the priorities of Just Transition.”

The spokesperson added: “Minister Hackett is working to ensure that Laois and Offaly communities are aware of and prepared to access funding for projects.”

The news will come as a blow within Offaly, where both the local authority and local TDs had campaigned for Offaly to be given special recognition for being at the forefront of the transition process away from fossil fuel economies.

Only last week, Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan, said there was “a clear and unanswerable case” for Offaly to receive the highest proportion of the funding due to be distributed under the programme.

“I have consistently made the case that Offaly, as the county most adversely impacted by the so called Just Transition process should be in line to receive the maximum amount of funding that will become available,” said Deputy Nolan.

“It is vital that we get the balance right at the outset. Offaly communities must not be left scrambling for matching funding allocations especially when it is the county that has carried the major burden of the Greens' and this government's determination to pursue a policy approach that is against the wishes of most workers and ordinary people,” concluded Deputy Nolan.

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, in a lengthy statement, said: “The objective of the Territorial Just Transition Plan and Programme will be to support the future economic development of the entire territory.”

The territory includes a total population of just over half a million (525,079), accounting for 11% of Ireland’s total population.