Millions of euro announced for bog restoration and Just Transition projects
Two major funding announcements for Offaly and the Midlands region in general have been announced by the Government today (Tuesday)
Ministers Eamon Ryan and Pippa Hackett said the cabinet has this morning approved funding of €108m for a large-scale peatlands restoration project from the Climate Action Fund.
This "will help sequester millions of tonnes of carbon and protect and enhance the biodiversity of the region, while creating 350 green jobs for the Midlands and for former Bord na Mona workers."
The Green Party representatives also announced that 47 more projects in the Midlands are to receive grants of €100,000 or more through the Government's Just Transition fund. These funding allocations for community-based projects will amount to a total of €27.8m.
Under the Just Transition Fund, €1 million is being allocated for "training and upskilling" of Bord na Móna employees, while a further €1 million will go to a "Bord na Móna Medicinal Herbs Project".
Several other projects based in Offaly, or across Offaly and neighbouring counties, will also benefit from today's Just Transition announcement.
The projects include:
* Ferbane Food Campus and Innovation Centre (Ferbane Business and Technology Park CLG) - €595,000
* Lough Boora Discovery Park and Midlands Cycling Destination - Sustainable Connections 2020 (Offaly County Council) - €998,155
* Lough Boora Enhancement: Cycle Way and Feasibility Study - Industrial Art Space (Bord na Móna) - €448,314
* Ballinahown Village Hall Revitalisation Project (Ballinahown Community Development Ltd) - €212,500
* Building Resilience and Adaptability in Primary School Children through STEM in Impacted Communities (Offaly County Council) - €119,000
* Climate Action Training and Mentoring Programme (Eastern and Midlands Climate Action Regional Office) - €255,000
* Conservation and Pollination - Medieval Churches in Laois and Offaly (Laois County Council) - €748,000
* Green HQ for Offaly (Offaly Local Development Company and Green Offaly) - €960,298
* Midlands Ireland.ie Digital Roadmap (Laois County Council) €998,750
* Midlands Network of Co-working Facilities - Business Development (Laois County Council) - €255,000
* Real Leaf Farm (Galway Herb Farm Limited t/a Real Leaf Farm) - €1,000,000
* Rhode Green Energy Park (Offaly County Council) €807,500
* Rhode Green Energy Park Integration Study (Newleaf) €100,000
* St Joseph's Community Centre Development (Kilcormac Development Association) - €435,853
* Strategic Area Response Plan Implementation (Shannonbridge Action Group) - €405,960
* Traveller Community Enterprise and Social Farming Project (Offaly Traveller Movement) - €997,738
* Tullamore Enterprise Space and Infrastructure (Offaly Innovation and Design Centre CLG) - €476,000
Commenting on today's announcements, Offaly-based Minister for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, said: "The Midlands has suffered in the transition to the new Green economy but we promised we would support the workers and the communities through this. This is what we are delivering today.
"The bogs are a magnificent resource for storing carbon, reducing emissions, and supporting biodiversity, and rehabilitating them is hugely important work.
"The Bord na Mona workers know these bogs better than anyone, and they are best positioned to deliver this vital work, which will help to sustain the local economy.
"The community projects funded by the Just Transition Fund will create a sense of engagement in the move toward the Green economy.
"Already we’re seeing a greater sense of the need for climate action at school and community level so it’s vital that these initiatives are supported. It’s a good day for action on climate and biodiversity action, and a good day for the Midlands."
The full list of projects awarded funding today under the Just Transition Fund can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/ed10d-just-transition-fund/