Offaly community requests return of county peatland to support sustainability

AN Offaly community group, with the support of Offaly County Council, has been exploring the potential of a community owned renewable energy project to generate revenues that would be purposed solely for the rejuvenation of those communities most impacted by Just Transition, with a primary focus on enterprise support and job creation across the entire county.

An Síolán, a voluntary community group, from Ferbane last week invited Offaly Oireachtas members and Councillors to a meeting in Tullamore where its members set out a clear vision for community owned renewable energy projects and the potential for job creation through a resultant local enterprise fund.

Brian Flynn, Chairman of An Síolán, is hopeful that the positive response from those in attendance will lead to action. “If the transition away from peat-based energy generation is to be a Just Transition then those communities most affected must be supported to create the jobs that will ensure their sustainability and a community owned renewable energy project on Offaly land is an appropriate tool to generate the revenues required”.

Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett and Barry Cowen TD both expressed appreciation for the informative briefing from the community. Minister Hackett stated that the meeting had provided her with “both a clearer understanding of the challenges facing communities who want to participate in the renewable energy transition and the potential of community energy projects to drive local enterprise. These communities need to be supported and the Programme for Government reinforces this. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Government towards this end”.

Deputy Cowen also committed to progressing the initiative. “I will, with colleagues, work to find a means by which Government can provide a mechanism to ensure Bord Na Mona gift or lease lands to community groups that engage in renewable energy projects.”

An Síolán have had a number of meetings with Bord na Móna in the hope of advancing this proposal. The group’s initial proposal, involved Bord Na Mona facilitating the development of community renewable generation assets - either wind or solar - on a tiny percentage of the peatlands currently under Bord Na Mona management in Offaly. Bord Na Mona currently controls 27,000 hectares of peatlands in Offaly, approximately one eighth of the entire county land mass. Much of this land was transferred to Bord Na Mona from small land-owners in the community for as little as 7/6 (seven shillings and six pence) an acre often using compulsory purchase orders.

An Siolan also requested Bord Na Mona to consider other forms of co-operation including ring-fencing generation assets or energy income for communities with all community income being delivered back to the peatland towns and villages of the county for enterprise, education or voluntary projects to be co-ordinated by the local authority, based on the successful West Offaly Enterprise Fund model, funded by the ESB, and administered by the Local Authority, in the aftermath of Ferbane Power Station’s closure.

Brian Flynn explains “With Bord Na Mona set to develop over 1,200 Mega Watts of renewable power in Offaly in the next few years, on top of those they already own, it is essential that communities where these assets are located, are enabled to share meaningfully in the economic windfall that the projects generate.” The group awaits further discussions with Bord na Móna.

Danny Gleeson a Director of An Siolan, and its Joint Treasurer, was keen to acknowledge the support of those in attendance - Minister Pippa Hackett, Barry Cowen TD, Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick (Chair Offaly County Council), Cllr Liam Quinn, Cllr Eamon Dooley, Cllr Peter Ormond, Cllr Noel Cribbin, Cllr Mark Hackett, Cllr Robert McDermott, Cllr John Leahy, Cllr Tony McCormack, Cllr Declan Harvey and Claire Murray.

He thanked them for “their commitment to contact Government representatives, the Department of Environment, Climate & Communications and Bord na Móna to encourage the semi-state company to support community generation projects. Representatives also undertook to seek assurances from Bord Na Mona, the Government and the Department, that Bord na Móna landholdings, generation assets or generation capacity will not be sold off to third party investors to the detriment of the communities where these assets are located.”