Public workshops on next tourism funding scheme under Just Transition process
Information on EU Just Transition Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for SMEs
Press Release: 27 February 2024
Longford County Council will stage a series of workshops across the county to help locals to engage with the next available scheme under the Just Transition funding process.
Starting next week, tourism operators and local entrepreneurs who have regenerative tourism projects or ideas, are being encouraged to come along to one of the workshops on the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs, taking place countywide.
Co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the EU, currently, up to €17million in tourism grant-aid is available for private and community-based micro enterprises and SMEs in the wider Midlands area. Delivering this grant-aid will help improve the quality of the visitor experience within this EU Just Transition region. The goal is to attract more visitors, increase dwell time, and secure overnight stays, creating new jobs in the sector and helping to grow the visitor economy.
Longford’s series of special workshops, in Lanesborough, Ballymahon, Edgeworthstown, Granard and Longford will help providers access this funding scheme, starting from next week.
- 10.30am-12.30pm on Monday, 4 March in Lanesborough Library (N39 XC85)
- 3-5pm on Monday, 4 March in Ballymahon Library (N39 E5C7)
- 10.30am-12.30pm on Tuesday, 5 March in Edgeworthstown Library (N39 F7Y8)
- 3-5pm on Tuesday, 5 March in Granard Library (N39 D2N4)
- 10.30am-12.30pm on Wednesday, 6 March in Longford Library (N39 HK76)
No advance booking is required to attend any of the sessions, but the EU Just Transition Fund Tourism Activator Ciaran Mullooly can also meet promoters individually upon request on the days of these events. To arrange a meeting please email cmullooly@longfordcoco.ie or call 087 064 9287.
Speaking in advance of the workshop series, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Colm Murray said, “This level of tourism investment in the midlands is absolutely unprecedented and I would urge people with ideas or projects to come forward – the difference you could make to yourself and your community with the support of this funding could be immense.”
Chief Executive Paddy Mahon said, “Longford County Council alongside the EU Just Transition Fund Tourism Activator is ready to support promoters to develop tourism projects that will help create more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit Longford while also sustaining jobs, businesses and local communities.”
Overall, Fáilte Ireland is administering up to €68 million of the support from the EU Just Transition Fund programme in counties Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, Laois, and parts of Galway, Tipperary and Kildare. Funding will be available for tourism visitor attractions, accommodation providers and in many other categories.
Applications for the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs will be assessed by Fáilte Ireland, who will provide guidance on the scheme and offer direct support to applicants. Private and community-based micro-enterprises and SMEs can find scheme guidelines, useful toolkits and how to register their interest in the scheme at FailteIreland.ie.
Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme for Ireland’s Midlands 2023-2026 under the EU Just Transition Fund will be delivered through a series of open and closed call grant-aid schemes, for seven distinct funding schemes which will be announced over the coming months.
