Longford County Council signs multi-million Pathfinder funding agreement with SEAI
Midland Energy Agency will deliver range of energy retrofit projects
Press Release: Monday, 3 November 2025
Longford County Council is one of five local authorities in the Midlands Energy Agency to recently sign a three-year Pathfinder Funding Agreement with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
€26.22 million has been secured in investment to deliver a programme of large-scale deep energy retrofit projects to local authority buildings across the Midlands.
Under the agreement, SEAI will provide 50% funding for both capital works and technical consultancy services, enabling delivery of ambitious retrofit projects at scale.
The programme will support up to 14 large scale projects and 22 design-and-build retrofit projects. Together, these initiatives will dramatically reduce energy demand in public and community buildings, directly supporting the local authorities in achieving 2030 target of a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the 2050 target of net zero emissions.
Laois County Council is acting as the lead authority for the Midlands Energy Agency, which was established in 2007 and includes Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath and Roscommon.
To advance delivery, Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between Laois and its four partner authorities were recently signed by their Chief Executives in Longford.
Welcoming the announcement, Suzanne Dempsey A/Regional Energy Coordinator for Midland Energy Agency said, “This Pathfinder Agreement demonstrates the commitment of local authorities in the Midlands to play their part in addressing the climate crisis. By focusing on large-scale retrofits and working in partnership with SEAI, we are ensuring meaningful progress toward national climate targets while also delivering long-term energy savings and improved public buildings for our communities.”
Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive of Longford County Council said, "Longford is delighted to be part of this collective response from the Midlands Energy Agency. By signing the Service Level Agreement, Longford County Council is delivering a strong statement of intent, which demonstrates the commitment to play our role in meeting Ireland’s climate targets."
Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh added, “This Pathfinder programme marks a turning point for public buildings across the Midlands. The scale of investment shows what can be achieved when local authorities work together with purpose. Our communities will see real improvements to the buildings they use every day, whilst we make genuine progress on our climate commitments. It's practical action that delivers both environmental and economic benefits for the region."
The Pathfinder programme represents one of the most significant regional investments in energy efficiency to date, underlining the Midlands’ leadership in Ireland’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future.
