MEP urges Offaly County Council to secure share of new €30 million EU START Programme for BnM communities

INDEPENDENT Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly has said that new €30 million funding is now available to local authorities in the Midlands under the EU Just Transition Fund START scheme, which supports local authority-led climate action infrastructure and feasibility projects aimed at replacing jobs lost after peat-industry closures. He is calling on Offaly County Council to move quickly so Bord na Móna communities across Offaly 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 lost employment following peat-related closures.

Mullooly said communities such as Shannonbridge, Bracknagh, Kilcormac, Rhode and Clonbullogue, Walsh Island and surrounding Bord na Móna areas must now be prioritised for job-creating projects.

“I would particularly want to see communities where Bord na Móna was a major employer getting assistance under this scheme. The applicants will be the local authorities, so I am calling now on Offaly County Council to stage community meetings in towns like Shannonbridge, Bracknagh, Kilcormac, Rhode, Clonbullogue, Walsh Island and other Bord na Móna communities across Offaly, 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 Bord na Móna jobs,” said the Independent Ireland MEP.

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 of these old Bord na Móna communities. 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 the old Bord na Móna 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 Bord na Móna community so that they can be given preference when it comes to job-creation projects from this round of funding,” he said.

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Mullooly said the START scheme will support Local Authority-led 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.

“If Offaly 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 Shannonbridge, Bracknagh, Kilcormac and all Bord na Móna communities across Offaly, and we must seize it,” the Independent Ireland MEP said.

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