Cowen slams Just Transition process delivery in Offaly

Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen has issued scathing criticism of the Just Transition process in Offaly to date.

The Laois/Offaly Government TD outlined what he said was his disappointment and frustration at the pace and delivery in the region of the Just Transition process, a Government programme designed to assist areas dependent on fossil-fuel driven economies to move to a low carbon, climate resilient economy.

Speaking in the Dail on Wednesday during a debate on the Climate Action Bill, Cowen said because he had committed to, and sold, the just transition process to the electorate, it was now his duty “to call out the lack of progress”.

Deputy Cowen proceed to read into the Dail record a letter he had written to the Taoiseach on the matter.

In the letter, he said: “With the Climate Change Bill now published I think it an opportune time to voice my disappointment, frustration and no little anger at the ridiculously slow, poorly administered and apparent inept governance/leadership/delivery of just transition to date.

“The slow snail's pace and lack of progress to date is a far cry from where I'd expected to be today," he said.

He said it was further compounded for him by Fianna Fáil being the lead party in government since June last.

“It would appear not having a cabinet member for example from Offaly, Longford, Laois, Kildare, Westmeath, Roscommon or [even] East Galway is very evident and telling when it comes to just transition.”

He told the Taoiseach that the responses he had received to a series of parliamentary questions to Minister Eamon Ryan in recent days had confirmed that not a single job had been created by just transition funding and that only €166,000 has been drawn down to date

He said the Minister's replies also confirmed to him that the rules associated with the proposed funding did little to ensure funding will materialise

He added that, Offaly, the county most impacted by Bord na Móna and ESB job losses, “is not prioritised or benefitting as proportionately as it should.”

“There also appears to be a suggestion that the midland region be extended even further for the purpose of the EU [just transition fund], further diluting the impact on communities most affected,” Cowen wrote in the letter to the Taoiseach.

He went on to say that the midlands regional transition team is merely a sounding board with no real powers, despite recommendations to the contrary by the Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey, himself and others.

Deputy Cowen pointed out that there was no decision on potential community gain from potential futures uses of the power plants in Shannonbridge or Lanesborough.

He said he had received no response to his call for local authorities to act as administrators of an open tender competition to determine the future use of those plants that might yield a community, social and economic gain.

He added: “Concurrently ESB are seeking a refund from the energy regulator of the €5m it supposedly "gifted" to just transition upon the announcement of the closures. It is also seeking further millions from the same source to cover costs of its exit!!”

And he said there was the ongoing failure to put in place “a greatly expanded program of home heating retrofit options” thus neglecting the very people impacted greatest by the suddenness of decarbonisation.

Cowen argued that the ongoing and growing importation of peat products for horticulture and home heating fuels made “a laugh and mockery of just transition process altogether!”

Deputy Cowen stressed his support for the climate action bill and its targets. However, he said the Government had the opportunity in the context of the bill and the debate to recommit to the Just Transition process and to rectify the measures which have not been successful or workable to date.

He called on the Government to reconvene Department officials, the just transition commissioner, and public representatives, to resolve the issues.