Call for ‘promised support’ for Offaly’s new energy leadership to be delivered

Offaly Fine Gael TD John Clendennen has delivered a strong appeal to the Taoiseach, warning that Offaly and the wider Midlands are at a critical crossroads in the energy and economic transition.

“Offaly powered this nation for generations, first through peat, now through renewables. But while we’ve delivered, the promised support has not,” said Clendennen in a passionate address in the Dáil this week.

Highlighting the nearly 700 job losses suffered in the county due to the energy transition, which is the highest in Ireland, the TD criticised the sluggish rollout of replacement employment under the Midlands Just Transition framework.

“We’ve seen plans, strategies, and frameworks. What we haven’t seen are payslips, tangible employment, or momentum on the ground,” Clendennen stated.

Despite this, the TD pointed to Offaly’s resilience and ambition in renewable energy, noting that while the county makes up just 2% of Ireland’s landmass and population, it has contributed up to 7% of the nation’s wind energy output in recent months.

“That success wasn’t luck; it was strong local leadership, ambitious planning, and community buy-in. We stepped up.”

With the EU Renewable Energy Directive requiring the Government to publish new renewable energy zoning maps by May 21, Clendennen warned against a one-size-fits-all approach that could penalise early adopters.

“We cannot allow a bureaucratic reset that treats all counties equally and ignores the heavy lifting already done by places like Offaly,” the TD said, calling for existing and permitted renewable sites to form the baseline of the new national plan.

In a follow-up response, the TD also called for a reform of the Community Benefit Fund under the Renewable Energy Support Scheme.

“The current system is too diluted, too complex, and lacks the impact our communities deserve. Let’s use it to deliver strategic, lasting investment, from road upgrades to business parks and modern community hubs.”

Concluding the speech, the TD urged the Government to match Offaly’s ambition with real support:

“Offaly didn’t just endure transition, we led it. Now we need support that reflects that leadership.”

In response to Deputy Clendennen, the Taoiseach gave a commitment to review the mapping process to include both existing and potential sites as well as to further modify the community funding to ensure more strategic and enduring projects.