Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022
117. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of projects in respect of the national trust transition fund being supported in counties Offaly and Laois; the nature of such projects; the total value of the projects; and the number of full-time and indirect jobs created in these projects to date. [36196/22]
View answerGovernment remains committed to a just transition in the Midlands region and has dedicated significant funding to supporting workers, companies and communities affected by the closure of the peat-fired power stations and the end of peat extraction by Bord na Móna.To date, 56 National Just Transition Fund projects have entered into a grant agreement with my Department, with €21.5 million in grant funding to be provided through the National Just Transition Fund. These projects will bring €12.4 million in additional funding to the region and support an estimated 174 direct jobs and 987 indirect jobs, as reported by grantees. 18 of these projects are based in County Offaly, and 3 of these projects are based in County Laois. The total value of these 21 projects is approximately €11.2 million, with €9 million of this to be provided by the National Just Transition Fund. These projects have reported that they will support an estimated 19 direct jobs and 231 indirect jobs over the period of the Fund. The objective of the National Just Transition Fund is to support a diverse range of innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the wider Midlands region. They include new enterprise hubs, supporting local business and community development, research and exploratory studies, tourism and heritage projects, development of greenways, and opportunities for education, training and reskilling. Further information on these projects is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ed10d-just-transition-fund
