Athlone project funded by Just Transition Fund

A local project is among those in the Midlands to receive grants under a part of the EU Just Transition Fund (EU JTF) programme for local community groups and SMEs.

The Social Enterprise Exchange by Cluster Centre Platform Ltd, based on the Roscommon side of Athlone will receive €129,999.

It was among 15 sustainability-focused projects in the Midlands announced today by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan to receive funding of between €50,000 and €300,000 to invest in ideas from the community that create employment and diversify the local economy of the Midlands region.

The grants will enable projects to develop initiatives such as innovation and community hubs, green energy projects and heritage initiatives.

The total amount committed to selected projects from the EU Just Transition Fund is now nearly €54 million, following the recent announcement of projects selected through the EU JTF Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking scheme run by Failte Ireland and the EU JTF Local and Regional Economic Strategy Support Scheme run by Pobal. Further project announcements are expected shortly.

Commenting on the projects approved for funding under the scheme, Minister Ryan stated: “Small-to-medium enterprises and local community organisations are the life blood of a region, creating jobs, helping to diversify the economy and generating ideas and innovation. This funding will empower local organisations to respond to Ireland’s shift to a low-carbon economy, while providing economic and social benefit at a local level for the individuals most impacted by this transition”.

Projects have been selected through a competitive process under the EU Just Transition Fund’s Community and Enterprise Grants Scheme, which is the second call within the broader Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme. This current announcement of projects builds upon the previous selection of projects announced in April, in which 15 other projects from the midlands received grants totalling €18 million.