Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to a just transition in order to ensure that nobody is left behind as we strive to transition to a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050 in line with the National Climate Objective.

Through the annual Climate Action Plan, the Government is mainstreaming the Just Transition Framework across sectoral policy to enable a fair and equitable transition to a climate neutral economy. Climate Action Plan 2021 articulated a framework to guide the Government’s approach to implementing climate action policies:

• An integrated, structured, and evidence-based approach to identify and plan our response to just transition requirements.
• People are equipped with the right skills to be able to participate in and benefit from the future net zero economy.
• The costs are shared so that the impact is equitable and existing inequalities are not exacerbated.
• Social dialogue to ensure impacted citizens and communities are empowered and are core to the transition process.

All relevant Ministers are expected to formulate and implement their climate action policies through the lens of this framework, so that policies are informed by the need to ensure a just transition. Annual Climate Action Plans provide details of just transition actions across Government.

The Government has also committed to establishing a Just Transition Commission. In September 2023, I established a Just Transition Taskforce, comprised of representatives of the key social dialogue pillars (employers, trades unions, farming groups, social NGOs, and environmental NGOs), as well as senior public sector representatives. I have asked the Taskforce to report to me by Q1 2024 with its advice and recommendations to Government regarding the establishment of an enduring structure for the Just Transition Commission, in line with the proposed mandate set out in Climate Action Plan 2023. In relation to the Midlands region, the Climate Action Plan sets out the response of the Government to the challenges posed by the early closure of the ESB's peat-fired power stations and the end of peat extraction by Bord na Mona. This response has also been informed by the reports and recommendations of Kieran Mulvey in his role as Just Transition Commissioner in relation to the Midlands region from 2019 to 2021.

The National Just Transition Fund was established in 2020 as a key pillar of the Government’s plan for the Midlands region, following the cessation of commercial peat extraction. The Fund continues to support local and community-led projects, which are creating sustainable businesses, employment opportunities and reskilling workers to engage with the green economy, and implementing innovative plans to support the transition to a low carbon economy across a range of activities. The fund will provide up to €22 million in grant assistance to supported projects until the end of 2024.

Ireland's EU Just Transition Fund Programme, formally launched in April 2023, will provide €169 million (including €84.5 million of EU funding) until 2027 to support the economic transition of the Midlands Territory, which includes Laois, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, and Westmeath and certain municipal districts in Galway, Kildare, and Tipperary. This Programme is addressing the longer-term economic transition of the region arising from the end of commercial peat extraction and peat-fired power generation.

€66 million of funding has already been made available under the Programme for projects that support the bioeconomy, electric vehicle charging, regenerative tourism, and the implementation of local and regional economic strategies. Funding awards for community-based electric vehicle charging and bioeconomy projects will be announced shortly. Call documentation is currently in development for a further €96 million of funding the Programme.