Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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202. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will clarify the criteria that community projects must meet in order to access just transition funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5325/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In 2020, the National Just Transition Fund was made available in the Midlands region to support communities impacted by the end of peat extraction for energy production. This Fund focuses on retraining peat workers, generating sustainable employment in green enterprise, supporting training and reskilling, and enabling local businesses and communities to adjust to a low-carbon transition.

Funding agreements with all 56 successful projects are now in place. A full list of successful projects, together with background information on eligibility, is available at: 

www.gov.ie/en/publication/ed10d-just-transition-fund/. 

This Fund will provide up to €22.1 million in grant funding to these projects until 2024. The projects aim to mobilise up to €15 million in additional funding and support an estimated 178 direct and  999 indirect jobs, as reported by the grantees. To date €3.173 million has been drawn down from the Fund. 

Separately, Ireland's Territorial Just Transition Plan and Programme under the new EU Just Transition Fund have recently been approved by the Government and by the European Commission. Details of the approved Plan and Programme are available at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/4d421-eu-just-transition-fund/.

The Programme will incorporate a number of new funding schemes including, in some cases, support for community-focused projects. Details of individual scheme eligibility will be published by the relevant sponsoring Department or Agency in due course. A formal launch of the Programme is anticipated in the coming weeks.