Longford County Council signs multi-million funding agreement with SEAI

A staggering €26.22 million is being allocated for the delivery of large-scale deep energy retrofit projects in local authority buildings across the midlands, and Longford County Council is one of five local authorities that will benefit from the investment, it was announced today.  

Together, the five county councils - namely Longford, Roscommon, Laois, Offaly, and Westmeath - make up the cooperative partnership known as The Midlands Energy Agency (MEA), a body that was established back in 2007.  

The three-year funding agreement - which was signed with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) - will see the SEAI provide 50% funding for both capital works and technical consultancy services, thus enabling the delivery of ambitious retrofit projects at scale.  

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The programme will support up to 14 large scale projects and 22 design-and-build retrofit projects. The aim of these initiatives is to dramatically reduce energy demand in public and community buildings, directly supporting the local authorities in achieving their 2030 targets of a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the 2050 target of net zero emissions. 

The chief executives of each of the five counties within the Midlands Energy Agency recently met in Longford to sign the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) which will advance delivery of the programme.  

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said the signing of the SLA was a reflection of the county’s commitment to helping Ireland meet its climate targets. 

He 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."

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.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh described the injection of funding as a turning point. 

He said, “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."

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Regional Energy Coordinator for the Midland Energy Agency, Suzanne Dempsey echoed Cllr Murtagh’s point about targets, adding that the focus on large-scale retrofits would ensure meaningful progress being made. 

“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.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme