Just Transition will deliver 'very little for Offaly'

ANGRY councillors told a meeting on Monday afternoon that it is their belief that the EU Just Transition funding programme will deliver very little for Offaly.
Ann Dillon, Director of Services, told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that the cabinet recently approved the Territorial Plan for Just Transition.
“We don't have the full details yet,” she remarked. “Tourism and creating jobs through tourism will be a big part of the Plan.”
She said the government is fully cognisant of the fact that Offaly is definitely the most impacted county in Ireland because of the decarbonisation programme, “so hopefully that will be reflected in the distribution of the funding.”
She pointed out that under Just Transition €169 million will be distributed across four midland counties (including Offaly), Galway, Kildare, North Tipperary and Roscommon. A number of intermediary bodies will distribute the funding including the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Fáilte Ireland, and the Department of Transport. The NPWS will be distributing money towards the rehabilitation of the bogs, and Fáilte Ireland towards tourism. Communities will be invited to apply for the funding during the earlier part of 2023. €120 million of the funding will need to have been committed by 2026.
Cllr Eamon Dooley pointed out that in summer 2018 it became apparent that the peat industry was going to be shut down. “There was spin about jobs creation but I didn't believe it. To date I haven't seen much evidence that much is being done for this county or for the people who have lost their jobs.
“The EU is also not giving Ireland as much funding as we deserve. Finland is receiving six times more Just Transition funding than Ireland.
“We were told that Just Transition funding would be going towards 15 things. Now we are told it's going to only three things, including tourism and bog rehabilitation. That will suit the governmental department administering the funds. It will be 2024 if we are lucky if we see any of this funding. It won't be in time for the local elections.
“The recent presentation by Kieran Mulvey certainly didn't inspire me. That zoom meeting was one of the worst meetings because it showed me there isn't the requisite interest about our area by the powers that be.
“My advice would be, Don't put in too much of an effort because there is nothing coming down the tracks. We are on our own with this. The government needs to focus on what Just Transition means for people on the ground and the government seems to have no intent of doing that. I am a glass half empty person today. ”
Cllr Liam Quinn remarked that The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) is not great. “I wonder if EMRA is going to do much for us when it comes to the fair distribution of the Just Transition funds.”
Cllr John Leahy said the governmental department is “pushing the money out to the agencies and is leaving the communities behind. Cllr Dooley is being glass half empty but he tends to be right when it comes to this subject, and the fact he tends to be right worries me now.”
Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick pointed out that EMRA is focussing on the greater Dublin region as well, which will dilute the funding even further. "Disposable income in Offaly is the second lowest in Ireland. At one stage we were hoping Just Transition would improve that statistic but that's not going to happen. The loss of jobs in Bord na Móna and the ESB because of the government's decarbonisation programme has created a massive problem for us, and that problem is not being fairly met. What needs to be focussed on is how we can make up for those job losses, how we can create more jobs. It is very important that we support the people of our county. We need to get that message across to Jim Conway and EMRA."
“When it comes to fighting the adverse effects of Climate Change, Ireland has been top of the class," commented Cllr John Carroll.
"We are doing our very best. And yet we are being treated shoddily by an EU system which seems very bureaucratic and uncaring. And then we hear last week about a proposal to open a coal mine in Cumbria. The mixed messaging is confusing.”
Cllr Carroll said the Just Transition funding should have been distributed through LEADER, and not the way it's presently being done. “LEADER has been a big success for many years. It's deeply in touch with local communities. It delivers funding effectively and fairly. If the EU and the government had been serious about this then they should have gone the LEADER route. Instead we are beholden to EMRA and to a governmental department who have very little understanding or sympathy for our needs in Offaly.
“ We all know now that by the time the Just Transition money filters down to us it won't be much. What we are seeing instead is oppressive bureaucracy and too much money being spent on feasibility studies. The EU is very bureaucratic and we are caught up in that when it comes to this Just Transition programme."
Cllr Frank Moran said there's a communication problem with Bord na Móna, “so we need to ask Bord na Móna to meet our three Municipal Districts to address this problem.”
Ann Dillon said she understood the councillors' frustration. “We are all very frustrated because we have been waiting for so long for the financial supports, but they will happen, and they are something to look forward to.”
Cllr Dooley disagreed. “It will be small money by the time it gets to us.”
Cllr John Clendennen called for clarity from the government and from EMRA. “Instead we are still not sure how the pie is going to be divvied up.”
“Just Transition when it was first mentioned to us a few years ago, it was all about creating jobs and retrofitting,” commented Cllr Declan Harvey. That seems now to have all gone out the window. Now the words we are being told are bog rehab and tourism.”
Ann Dillon said there has been a lot of focus on reskilling former Bord na Móna workers through Solas and LOETB; and there is a lot of focus on retrofitting.