Mr. Rob Power:

That was a very tangible example. I can share another one with him. Athy in Kildare has recently a regeneration of Emily Square, which was the beneficiary of €2.7 million worth of funding from the just transition fund. Why did that work well? The fund was managed in Ireland by the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly. I was lucky to be part of those early discussions as chair of the assembly where we brought together several departments. There was really good co-operation between the departments to the extent that we had local municipal district members on the assembly involved in it and Fáilte Ireland. Ultimately, this funding was led through the Fáilte Ireland regenerative tourism programme. We have worked hand in glove with the local authority to say what is on the agenda and how we are going to regenerate it. This was one project that fitted well within the just transition boundaries. We also look at the regional economic plan, and the local economic plans are working hand in glove with that to drive more business to Athy and utilise the food and beverage expertise in the town so that when those businesses come to look at Athy, they see a rejuvenated town with Emily Square and all the work that has been done there celebrating the culture with the Shackleton museum and the 1798 murals and working with other cultural aspects such as the Maid of Athy music trail, which has been really beneficial for the town. A lot of that stems from just transition funding, which was managed by the regional assembly.

To flip the Deputy's question about how we can do it better, it is an example of a brilliant programme but the concern is that this funding will go away. That is a major concern, particularly in terms of the just transition fund. We have set a really good benchmark in terms of the quality of projects we want to see there, but to see that funding disappear now given the climate disaster we are still in, which is worsening, is very concerning. That would be a major concern for us in the regional assembly.