Local TD Denis Naughten has welcomed the allocation of just over €6m for 11 local projects across County Roscommon and East Galway and adjoining towns which, along with a further €9.4m in region-wide projects, will help to support local job creation.
The funding under the Just Transition Fund is to help support local job creation as a result of the wind-down of Bord na Mona peat harvesting over the last 12 months and the imminent closure of Lanesboro and Shannonbridge Power Stations next month.
“The funding will have a direct impact in communities serviced by existing Bord na Mona workshops at Ballyforan, Cloontuskert, Clonburren, Clonfert, Mount Dillon & Blackwater where many local people have been employed,” said Denis Naughten.
“I’m particularly delighted to see a large number of projects which I have been directly working on with the promoters come through this assessment process and I now hope they can be developed to not just help replace local jobs but to create additional jobs into the future.
“I look forward to working with the promotors and communities involved with all 26 projects that will have an impact in our area to see them come to completion as soon as possible,” concluded Denis Naughten.
ENDS.
| Project Name | Lead Applicant | JFT Funding Amount Sought (€) | Counties impacted | |
| 1 | Ballyforan Greenway Loop | Ballyforan Area Transition Team | 977,500 | East Galway, Roscommon |
| 2 | Clontuskert Ballyleague Bog Heritage Train | Roscommon County Council | 212,000 | Roscommon |
| 3 | Clontuskert Ballyleague Visitor Centre and Organic Farm | Roscommon County Council | 212,000 | Roscommon |
| 4 | Lanesboro Food Hub | Premier Lakelands Hub | 1,000,000 | Longford, Roscommon |
| 5 | Lanesborough Tourism Hub | Longford County Council | 212,500 | Longford, Roscommon |
| 6 | Lough Ree Access for All | Lough Ree Access for All CLG | 471,693 | Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 7 | Lough Ree Distillery – Phase 2 | Blacksmith Ventures Limited | 1,000,000 | Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 8 | Mid-Shannon Wilderness Park Greenway | Longford County Council | 102,000 | Longford, Roscommon |
| 9 | Pulse Hub: Creation of Remote Working Hubs in Ballinasloe Town | Ballinasloe Area Community Development CLG | 490,747 | East Galway, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 10 | Strategic Area Response Plan Implementation | Shannonbridge Action Group | 405,960 | East Galway, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 11 | The Lir Project | Fergal Moran and Brian O’Carroll | 1,000,000 | Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| Total: €6,084,400 |
| 12 | A Brown to Green Jobs Transition to Eliminate Energy Waste in Midlands Homes | Hub Controls Ltd | 1,000,000 | All counties |
| 13 | Bord na Móna Employee Supports – Training and Upskilling Project | Bord na Móna | 1,000,000 | All counties |
| 14 | Bord na Móna Medicinal Herbs Project | Bord na Móna | 1,000,000 | All counties |
| 15 | Climate Action Training and Mentoring Programme | Eastern and Midlands Climate Action Regional Office | 255,000 | All counties |
| 16 | Connecting Communities with Peatlands | Irish Rural Link | 277,079 | All counties |
| 17 | Digital Learning Hub – Longford | Longford Westmeath ETB | 1,000,000 | Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 18 | Employment Development Information Centre Transition Campus | Employment Development Information Centre Longford | 359,846 | Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 19 | Empower Eco | Athlone Institute of Technology | 907,765 | All counties |
| 20 | Enablers of a Just Transition for Communities in the Midlands Region | University of Limerick – Centre for Environmental Research | 217,600 | All counties |
|
21 |
Lough Boora Discovery Park and Midlands Cycling Destination – Sustainable Connections 2020 | Offaly County Council | 998,155 | All counties |
| 22 | Lough Boora Enhancement: Cycle Way and Feasibility Study – Industrial Art Space | Bord na Móna | 448,314 | All counties |
| 23 | Midland Bioenergy Development Project | Irish BioEnergy Association | 255,000 | All counties |
| 24 | Midlands Retrofit Growth | KORE Retrofit Ltd | 948,600 | All counties |
| 25 | Social Enterprise Exchange | The Cluster Centre | 170,978 | East Galway, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath |
| 26 | Superhomes Midlands | Tipperary Energy Agency CLG | 603,625 | All counties |