Huge sum of money awarded to two Tipperary ‘Just Transition’ projects

Two Tipperary projects have been awarded sizeable funding as part of the European Union’s ‘Just Transition’ fund.

The EU-backed fund was established to support areas where employment has been lost due to a move away from fossil fuels. This includes matters such as the closure of Bord Na Móna peat harvesting and briquette making facilities.

In County Tipperary, Thurles and Carrick on Suir Municipal Districts were designated as the only eligible areas for funding.

The first project to receive funding was made by Tipperary County Council’s Environment and Climate Action section as lead authority in partnership with the Technical University of the Shannon, the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation and the Tipperary Energy Agency. An application for funding to the sum of €993,011 was made, this was successful and the full amount of funding sought has been received.

The ‘Biomethane for Carbon and Community’, concept centred on the National Bioeconomy Campus at Lisheen and the Tipperary Decarbonising Zone, will establish a Biomethane Development Office. This office would act as an independent resource to support and enable communities, enterprises and the agriculture sector to develop an economically feasible biomethane concept with decarbonising at its core.

The key impact of this would be to enable the region to be first movers in responding to emerging national policy and supports for biomethane development. It would ensure that local stakeholders are at the forefront of biomethane development and prepare the conditions for future investment and development.

The second successful application in Tipperary is for ‘pre-apprenticeship training and language supports’. Funding of €999,791 was announced for the programme which was led by Tipperary ETB in partnership with Tipperary County Council.

It aims to address skills gaps and capacity issues across a number of sectors with a focus on construction. This will be achieved through up-skilling and supporting members of the non-lrish community such as those who are beneficiaries of temporary protection as well as other economic migrants to take up positions in these sectors.

The skills shortages in the construction sector, particularly insulation installation, plastering and scaffolding have been identified as a major restrictors or limitations to economic growth in the region. The change that this project will bring about is the hope that the migrant participants will experience an improved quality of life and greater economic outcomes due to increased opportunity to access skilled employment.