Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
163. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there is a stream of funding under the Just Transition Fund that a company establishing operations in Littleton, Thurles, County Tipperary, could apply for to renovate a warehouse into a fit-for-purpose workshop in order to create local employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32714/23]
View answerThe Programme for the EU Just Transition Fund was approved by Government and adopted by the European Commission in December 2022.
The Programme aims to address the long-term economic transition of a designated territory in the Midlands, which includes Littleton, County Tipperary, following the end of commercial peat extraction and peat-fired power generation. The Fund incorporates €84.5 million of funding from the EU Just Transition Fund for the period 2021 to 2027. When national co-financing is included, this new Programme will provide for investments of up to €169 million.
The programme, which will be managed by the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, will be delivered in cooperation with a number of different Departments and Agencies, focussed on three priorities:
Priority 1: Generating employment for former peat communities by investing in the diversification of the local economy by supporting productive investments in enterprise, SMEs and community actions, focusing on sectors and activities which can address the economic challenge of the transition. This priority includes support for the development of tourism enterprises, bioeconomy initiatives, and for the implementation of Local Economic and Community Plans and Regional Enterprise Plans .
Priority 2: The restoration and rehabilitation of degraded peatlands and the regeneration and repurposing of industrial heritage assets to enable the transition towards climate-neutrality while also facilitating the diversification and modernisation of the economy of the Territory. This priority includes support for wetlands restoration, tourism trail network developments, and work on farm peat soils.
Priority 3: Providing former peat communities with smart and sustainable mobility options to enable them to benefit directly from the green transition by supporting clean, green mobility to build regional attractiveness and support economic development. This priority includes support for the electrification of rural link services, electrification of commercial bus services, and the installation of EV charging infrastructure.
It is planned to launch calls for proposals for individual schemes during the course of this year. Allocation of funding through each scheme under the programme will take place in accordance with the scope and terms of individual schemes. When available, information on how to apply for funding under each scheme, including which organisations are eligible to apply, will be published by the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly on emra.ie/eu-jtf/ and by relevant partner Departments and Agencies.
