A sustainable energy group set up by the Portarlington Business Association has been meeting weekly online for the past six months.
The group, called the PBA Sustainable Energy Community, has already submitted a Sustainable Energy Community charter to the SEAI.
The group is now about to apply for funding for an Energy Master Plan for the town with the support of bridge financing from Laois County Council.
The new SEC has joined with the sustainable energy communities that were already registered by the Tidy Towns and the Portarlington Community Centre to form one effective SEC for the town.
The SEC has already set up traffic monitors on main roads through the town to register vehicular traffic in the town and gather data to inform future initiatives on sustainable transport for the town.
It is also promoting active travel in the town, particularly for children going to school, and has submitted proposals to Laois County Council for safer cycle and walk ways in to the schools.
Welcoming the work done to date, Dr Cathal Berry TD who has regularly attended the SEC meetings, said: “It is great to see this initiative coming from the community itself.
“I commend and thank the members for the progress that has already been made.
“This group provides a template for other community groups taking the lead on other social change such as remote working.”
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