Local community groups urged to apply for phase 2 of Offaly's Climate Action Programme

Community groups around Offaly have been urged to apply for support under Offaly County Council's Climate Action Programme before the deadline closes on December 18. 

A presentation was delivered on the initiative at the November meeting of Birr Municipal District by the Community Climate Action Officer Sinead McEvoy. 

After a hugely successful opening phase of the project which was initially launched in December 2023, phase 1 of the programme is now in the implementation phase.

Projects from phase 1 are set to be completed over the next few months with the majority of projects falling under the theme of energy. 

A total of 18 projects were selected following the application process of phase 1 of the programme, 14 of which have already secure funding.

These include solar projects in Clonbullogue Hall and Moneygall Community Cafe, the bog restoration project in Clonbeale More by the Tullamore Lyons Club, the bike repair station in Pullough along with the water refill station and bike rack in Kinnitty.

Phase 2 opened on October 23 with a total of €444,000 allocated to the programme as interest continues to grow around the county. 

The main objectives of the programme are to help contribute to national climate and energy targets and to support small, large, rural and urban communities to take direct climate action. 

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The project will aim to provide funding opportunities for relevant community projects and initiatives. 

In order for community groups to be eligible for the programme, they must be a not-for-profit organisation located in Offaly. They must also be registered to the Public Participation Network (PPN) or other suitable collectives as well as meeting State Aid/De Minimis criteria. 

Projects which can be funded under the programme must deliver a direct positive impact on climate change by reaching an array of objectives. These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the production or use of renewable energy, increasing climate resilience, improving energy efficiency or enhancing biodiversity. 

Grants of up to €100,000 can be issued through the programme depending on the scale of the project whilst the main five themes of the project are community & energy, travel, food & waste, shopping & recycling and local environment & climate action. 

Applying for phase 2 of the programme, which will be for capital works only, will be a competitive process and three quotes (from external contractors) must be sought for the application stage. 

The evaluation criteria to a successful application will be based around factors such as relevance & impact, innovation and sustainability, value for money, achievability, partnership approach and governance arrangements. 

Speaking at the Birr Municipal District meeting, Councillor Sean Maher said: "This programme needs to be kept on the agenda because it isn't only going to help this generation but it's going to be vital for the next generation as well." 

Offaly County Council Cathaoirleach John Leahy praised the project stating: "It was a very clever decision by the government to make this project community-based, when people see things getting done and built in the community then it garners interest, it's a fantastic initiative."  

More information on the Climate Action Programme and how to apply can be found here.