Special climate fund ruled out for Border counties
The Taoiseach does not believe the Border counties of Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal will be disproportionally affected by the implementation of initial phases of the recently published Climate Action Plan.
Neither does he accept those counties deserve additional funding given the lack of alternative transport compared to other regions in the country.
Micheál Martin made the comments to reporters in Tunnyduff following commemoration events for the centenary of the stay of execution by Crown forces for the late Paddy Smith (see pages 18-19). His remarks put the Fianna Fáil leader at odds with several of his own party members.
As recently as 2018, Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith called upon then Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, to consider allocating additional roads funding to Cavan and Monaghan on the basis that the region does not have a rail service, and the existing road network is of "critical importance" to the two counties.
Before that, county councillor John Paul Feeley argued that a "special case" was merited and highlighted how councils in other parts of the country receive additional funding towards maintaining maritime, rail and airports.
Both elected members were present at the commemoration events.
However, An Taoiseach dismissed the suggestion, saying: "We don't do funding on a county by county basis. What we do do is we fund a whole range of initiatives."
He suggested that the Border region stands to benefit significantly from a range of funding measures coming down the tracks, including the €1bn committed through the Shared Island Fund and National Development Plan.
The Taoiseach said that rural transport is an area that "has to be expanded and invested more", and that includes in Cavan and in Monaghan.
In terms of agriculture and farming, Mr Martin added that there would be additional income supports available to encourage other enterprise initiatives, particularly around commercial forestation and repairant schemes.
He said there are a "range of reforms and efficiencies" that can still be effected by the farming community to assist in addressing the climate challenge, and the Taoiseach credited them for the work already done in supporting new greener innovations.
"The consumer will, in time, and is demanding food products that reflect and are responding to the climate crisis," said the Taoiseach.
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