Midlands rep in Europe wants Laois council to help Laois communities tap into €30 million job fund

Laois County Council needs to convene public meetings in Laois so that communities can take advantage of a multi-million fund designed to create jobs to replace employment lost by the ending of peat production according to a Midlands MEP.

Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly says that new €30 million funding is now available to Laois County Council and other local authorities in the Midlands under the EU Just Transition Fund START scheme.

In a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, the former RTÉ correspondent said this supports local authority-led climate action infrastructure and feasibility projects aimed at replacing jobs lost after peat industry closures. He called on officials at County Hall in Portlaoise to move quickly so Just Transition communities across Laois can benefit from real investment and job creation.

The local MEP said the funding, provided through the European Commission’s Just Transition Fund and co funded by the Irish Government, represents a major opportunity for towns that were economically linked to peat production and power station employment in the Midlands.

"I would particularly want to see communities where peat industry employment was once a major source of jobs getting assistance under this scheme.

"The applicants will be the local authorities, so I am calling now on Laois County Council to stage community meetings in towns like Mountmellick, Clonaslee, Portarlington, Ballyfin and other Just Transition communities across Laois, and to put together strong projects that can avail of this funding and help create real jobs in these areas.

"People need employment and good employment after the loss of peat industry jobs,” said the MEP.

Mr Mullooly added that the new funding round must be used more effectively than earlier programmes.

“Regrettably, up to now, the Just Transition Fund has not delivered for many Midlands communities that were affected by peat closures. The scheme was late in coming to Ireland, which was a major issue, but local authorities now need to work hand in hand with voluntary community groups in each of these areas so that we can see a real difference being made by this €30 million investment.

"I want to see public meetings and engagement in every Just Transition community so that they can be given preference when it comes to job creation projects from this round of funding,” he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE OF FRESHLY CUT TURF.

The MEP said the START scheme will support Climate Action Plan infrastructure projects and feasibility studies, including renewable energy initiatives, energy efficiency upgrades, active travel projects and regeneration of former industrial or landfill sites into community, tourism or enterprise uses.

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“If Laois County Council does not get strong applications in on time, funding specifically set aside for the Midlands transition could go elsewhere. This is a real chance to rebuild jobs and opportunity in Mountmellick, Clonaslee, Portarlington, Ballyfin and all Just Transition communities across Laois, and we must seize it,” concluded the statement.

Ireland is scheduled to receive up to €84.5 million from the EU Just Transition Fund up to 2027. The Irish Government's match funding will bring the total toe €169 million.