85. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount of funding provided to projects and initiatives in County Laois from the national and European just transition funds, under the various headings, to date in 2025, by recipients; the amount granted to each, and the purposes for which it is to be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49377/25]

Sentiment score: 0.16

The issue I am raising with the Ministers of State relates to the distribution of the just transition funding that came from the European Union and the €16 million that came from the State. I have concerns in this regard. It is supposed to be for the former peat harvesting areas. Under EU funding, they are designated as coal regions. The State made the case successfully for funding for the former peat harvesting areas, like the midlands, that are affected. County Laois is one of those areas. I am delighted that there are two Ministers of State in the Chamber to address this because I have questions around it.

Sentiment score: 0.16

I have a record of the projects that got funding. My concern is that the worst affected areas did not get funding. It was not targeted at them. Money was allocated by Laois County Council for tourism, which is good, for example to Emo Court. It is located in the middle of the county. I also welcome funding for The Forum in Mountmellick. It is good news that the Junction 17 business park was allocated €1 million. The Poet's Cottage community cafe in Camross also benefited, as well as the business park in Portarlington, which was allocated €1 million. That is all good. However, some of the funding went to derelict pubs in areas with no connection to Bord na Móna workers. I am talking about towns like Mountrath, Mountmellick and Borris-in-Ossory. One project was funded in Mountmellick, but no funding has gone into projects in Borris-in-Ossory or the Abbeyleix area. Former Bord na Móna workers and families are asking me where the benefit is from the total funding of €185 million. That is the question being asked of me as a public representative and I do not have a good answer for them.

Sentiment score: 0.08

I thank the Minister of State. My concern is that of the total available fund of €185 million, a reply to a previous parliamentary question shows that approximately €93 million has been spent. The reply to the question was received about a month ago. We are about 50% of the way through the funding. The feeling I get from people who have been showing an interest in the fund is that it is being rushed a bit. If we are halfway through spending the money, which is a lot of money, we must be careful about where the remaining €92 million or so is spent. I ask the Minister of State to take an interest in the matter. If need be, we should slow down the process. Perhaps there are deadlines from the EU that have to be met. If that is the case, perhaps the Minister of State would clarify that, but if that is not the case then we should pause the process, take it easy and make sure that the money goes to good projects. In particular, I want to highlight that, according to the reply to the parliamentary question, only €3.6 million has gone to specific projects in County Laois out of €185 million. That is a very small amount for a county that was badly affected. I refer to towns like Mountrath, Mountmellick and Borris-in-Ossory and the Abbeyleix area where there are a lot of former Bord na Móna workers. I worked with a lot of them. Mountrath was very badly hit.

Sentiment score: 0.14