*Moneypoint.
STRATEGIC THINKING needs to come into force to ensure Moneypoint is supported for future generations and that West Clare can become “a world-leader for green energy”.
Clare’s economic, social and environmental sustainability is reliant on new innovative projects, said Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) when calling on his party colleague, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien (FF) to make the Just Transition Funding Scheme available to Clare”.
Funding from this stream “could facilitate and increase the development of innovative projects,” he believed. “Projects of scale that are required to be transformative to the economic development of the area could be developed and attract investment through a dedicated funding stream”.
Made available in 2020, the purpose of the EU Just Transition Fund (EUJTF), co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, is to assist the territories most affected by the transition to a climate neutral economy. It is pillar one of the European Union Just Transition Mechanism.
There was no funding for Clare in the €68m Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme 2023-2026 administered by Fáilte Ireland under the EU Just Transition Fund.
Speaking at the September meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Shannon said Clare needs to be “top of the list” for the next round of funding in the scheme. “We had 400 people working in Moneypoint for 40 years, that has gone down to 80 people and contractors, we’re transitioning to green energy and having further plans for the future, it is vital we in Clare extract as much funding as possible for the next round”.
He was of the opinion that the next round of funding will be based on the National Development Plan and that the potential for training, skills and new technology must be highlighted in any future application. “I don’t know why we missed out, Roche closed down in 2016 and Shannon Airport’s transatlantic traffic came under serious pressure and we were only paid lip service. It is critical that we ensure Clare is in next round of funding”.
Equally baffled at Clare’s omission was Cllr Rita McInerney (FF). “I cannot for the life of me understand how Clare was left out when communities in Offaly were included with Bord na Mona closing down around there”. She explained, “this Just Transition Fund could go towards retraining, not just in renewables energy but other types of support service which could potentially be on site in Moneypoint, it is a big site and has huge potential”.
Resources follow the population, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) outlined. “We’re the dog running after the car barking, the car is going to stop so what are we going to do, we need to have the preparation and work done in advance of 2028. A lot of our strategies outline the right direction. We need to know what the ask is when the car stops and the dog stops barking”.
Groundwork must be done properly on applications to obtain the funding, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) stated. “It is about being prepared to be in a position when applications are done that we ascertain as much out of the funding as possible. West Clare is a jewel that is about to pop open”.
Time must be dedicated to tease out the application, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) said. “Brendan O’Regan looked in Rineanna and thought about building an airport and building a zone for industry which has been so successful, we need to be the same, we need to think outside the box and be strategic for Moneypoint”.
Ambitious plans must be put forward, Cllr Shannon stressed. “The main thing is with the new negotiations that when the plan is put together it will be performance based and can be amended. All of these transitions from heavy and fossil fuels to green energy whether hydrogen, wind or solar, how we store or create energy into the future. They will not tie you down to a plan which is outdated before it starts, we want to get the best value for money and up to date technology up to date. We need to be ambitious for these plans, we can be a world-leader for green energy and offshore”.
