Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The EU Just Transition Fund is a new fund created under the 2021-27 EU budget period, operating within the framework of the EU cohesion policy. The fund’s single specific objective is to support the regions in the European Union that are most negatively affected by the transition to climate neutrality. In essence, the fund aims to address employment, economic, social and environmental impacts that come with the shift away from carbon-intense activities and to prioritise this support to the most affected regions of the EU.

Ireland's EU Just Transition Fund programme, formally launched in April 2023, will provide €169 million, including €84.5 million of EU funding, until 2027 to support the economic transition of the midlands region. The designated territory for Ireland’s programme was approved by the Government and by the European Commission and is aligned with the historical dependence of the region on commercial peat extraction for power generation as described in the territorial just transition plan which underpins the programme.

To date, €137 million of this funding has been allocated or is in the process of being allocated to projects through open calls in a variety of areas such as tourism infrastructure, including trails and supports for business in the tourism sector to grow the visitor economy in the midlands region; the bioeconomy demonstration initiative, which is designed to fund, pilot and demonstrate bioeconomy innovation in action within the midlands territory; supports for the implementation of the local economic and community plans and of the relevant regional enterprise plans within the territory; and electric vehicle destination charging infrastructure.

Most recently, I was pleased to note the announcement on 19 June by Fáilte Ireland of the award of over €32 million in investment grants for regenerative tourism projects as part of Ireland's programme. The regenerative tourism and placemaking scheme seeks to create transformative and unique experiences that benefit visitors, local communities and nature. I look forward to the delivery of these projects and to their positive impact on the economic and employment opportunities in the midlands region. Additional further announcements are expected in the coming months on the selection of projects under other schemes within the EU Just Transition Fund programme, including schemes relating to investment grants to tourism SMEs, peatland restoration, the bioeconomy and public transport electrification.

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