A group of European Parliament members who sit on its Committee on Regional Development (REGI) have spent the last number of days visiting Galway, Athlone and Offaly as part of a fact-finding trip exploring the uses of EU funding.
The delegation is being led by REGI committee vice-chair, Slovakia's Ľubica Karvašová.
Speaking in Kilcormac, Co Offaly this afternoon, Ms Karvašová said that the committee is very serious about simplifying the application process for Just Transition funding so that "we don't prevent the regions prosperity".
The Just Transition Fund was established to help communities in the midlands region, which was most impacted by the cessation of peat production and peat-fired power generation.
However, concerns have been consistently raised around the application process and the difficulties in getting a project off the ground.
She acknowledged the "cumbersome application process" and the need to create more direct access for local and regional authorities to EU funds.
She said that it was clear the region has huge potential in the area of renewable energy and could play an important role as a producer and exporter to Europe.
Read more: EU funding of almost €6m for midlands community projects
She said transport and infrastructure is important from the region and that better railway connections and development of Galway Port could bring a new dimension to the area.
Irish MEPs Ciaran Mullooly, Maria Walsh and Barry Cowen were also part of the delegation.
Mr Mullooly, an Independent Ireland MEP for Midlands-North-West, has been tasked by the European Parliament with reviewing the Just Transition Fund across the EU.
Last year he was named by REGI as rapporteur for the report on 'The role of cohesion policy in supporting the just transition'.
Speaking in Kilcormac this afternoon, he said the work carried out in the village of Kilcormac was an "exception" and that simplification of the application process is needed.
He said the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had acknowledged the fund was not doing what it should be doing and the funds were not being drawn down.
A fabulous day in Kilcormac Development Association - when the members of the REGI committee of the European Parliament … thank you for the hospitality and super presentation @highlight pic.twitter.com/H9VEk65lQ7
— Ciaran Mullooly MEP (@ciaranmullooly) February 26, 2025
Mr Mullooly said the key challenge is to support workers and the communities most impacted and people should not have to drive to bigger towns and cities for work.
Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen said there was huge potential for Ireland to emerge as a leader in renewable energy and he stressed that Ireland's transition to a clean energy economy must directly benefit local communities.
He also said it is time the Government instructed Bord na Móna to give back to communities by offering sustainable projects, potentially administered and delivered by local authorities.
He added that it is vital that EU State Aid rules are reviewed as part of the move towards simplification to speed up allocation of Just Transition funding and make it more accessible.
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh, who was also part of the delegation, said it is "incredibly important" to support all sides to ensure the region thrives.
However, she said it is clear Ireland is not drawing down enough funding.
She added that people should have the choice to stay in their own communities and the committee, across all parties, is focused on that.
The delegation also included Spain's Raúl De La Hoz Quintano and Portugal's Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral.
