Thurles based Fianna Fail TD, Jackie Cahill is encouraging people to engage with the Lisheen Site Master Plan consultation process, which is due to be launched by Tipperary County Council. The Master Plan intends to make Lisheen a thriving centre of excellence for BioEconomy development and employment at all scales. The BioEconomy means using renewable biological resources from land and sea, like crops, forests, fish, animals and micro-organisms to produce food, materials and energy.
Given the closure of the Lisheen mine and the Bord na Mona briquette factory near Littleton the area has lost a significant number of jobs and the aim is to use the infrastructure associated with the two former employers. The Lisheen site with water and energy connections is considered ideal for a bio refinery. Centenary Co op Tipperary county Council and the Department of Agriculture have provided €2M in funding for the project. Lisheen is also set to secure considerable investment under the Just Transition Fund – a process to support regions losing jobs due to the transition away from fossil fuels. Bord Na Mona is also seeking to build a wind farm on it’s land and is developing a Littleton Labyrinth recreation amenity comprising trails through the bog lands in collaboration with Tipperary County Council.
The Naringtech BioProducts company is currently constructing a facility in Lisheen which is expected to bring up to 30 jobs to the area once completed. Deputy Cahill says “Lisheen can and will be the centre of excellence for the Irish BioEconomy and the future development of the circular economy and will play a central role in the reduction of carbon emissions while also providing employment in the area.”
