Fianna Fáil TD for Laois/Offaly Barry Cowen has welcomed confirmation that funding will be allocated to counties Offaly and Longford following the closure of power stations.
Cowen says he has “worked closely with Offaly County Council management and Fianna Fáil council members to secure this important funding” for the counties, who he says both lost 20% rates income following the closure of Shannonbridge and Lanesboro power stations.
He said that alongside TDs Robert Troy and Joe Flaherty, he appealed directly to both the Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath and the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, because they were “acutely aware of the implications the loss of rates income would have”.
Deputy Cowen said:
“There are stark financial implications from the loss of rates totalling 18.5% of Offaly County Council base rate income.
“This total is €3.1 million from ESB and €150,000 from Bord na Móna. There is an urgent need to compensate Offaly and Longford for loss of rates revenue and we hope to see this happen now.
Such a large hit would have necessitated large cuts across discretionary spend of councils. It was imperative that having supported the acceleration of decarbonisation that such just transition wouldn’t impact so severe.
“This can’t be just a one-off, we need to ensure that the likes of carbon tax funding meant for just transition compensatory funding be channelled in this way,” concluded deputy Cowen.
Moneypoint power station
Fianna Fáil Senator for Clare Timmy Dooley has also welcomed news of funding being secured for Clare County Council to “bridge the gap left by loss of rates revenue” at Moneypoint power station.
Senator Dooley said: “Clare County Council was set to lose almost €3 million in rates revenue from Moneypoint power plant, which would have had a devastating effect on the local area and could have led to a service cut in the area.”