Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The Deputy is getting the benefit of the challenge, depending on her perspective, for the fact that I visited her county recently on Deputy Clendennen's invitation. I had a chance to meet some of the local authority officials.

I share the Deputy's view that they are very good people. I am often quick enough in this House to say when I find a local authority that is not lifting enough weight or not doing enough. I was very taken by the people I met in the town hall, or municipal district office, in Edenderry, which is a beautiful building. There is more that can be done. The Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, was involved in conversations there with councillors and others on the idea of EU funding officers. It is about how we make sure our local authorities are empowered to be ready - I say that in a supportive way - to draw down the maximum amount of funding. Let me explore that. I am also conscious we are having this conversation against the backdrop of the very difficult situation around job losses in the county recently. I am thinking of the Fastway workers and others, and their families, at what is a difficult time.

On the EU Just Transition Fund programme, I take the point that we can always look at how we can make things better and cut bureaucracy. I am a fan of that but we have seen 15 calls from that fund between October 2023 and December 2025, with over €93 million in funding now committed to projects. That funding is now being distributed to grantees. It is expected further project announcements will be made in the coming weeks.

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