Dáil Debates - By Topic

[Oral Answers]...if he will meet with trade unions representing Bord na Móna workers; his views on their demand that Bord na Móna management attend the WRC to discuss issues relating to a just transition for their members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [Q. No(s) 11 to Minister for C...

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[Questions] I will allow Deputy Bríd Smith to introduce this question, which is in the name of Deputy Gino Kenny.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Questions] I must say I learn something new every day when I come into this place. I have learned today that under the same question, a Deputy can skip from the national broadband plan to community radio advertising in a couple of seconds. I am just amazed.[Smith, Bríd]

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[Questions] I was asking about online advertising, which is affecting local community radio stations[Neville, Tom]

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[Questions] I must remember that trick as a way of getting a neat little video of myself out ASAP. Question No. 11 happens to be about Bord na Móna and the just transition. I ask the Minister to meet the trade unions representing Bord na Móna workers to hear their views. The unions are demanding ...

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[Questions] I assure the Deputy that I have met representatives of the Bord na Móna workers on a number of occasions in recent months. I met the workers most recently on 11 November last, when myself and a number of my Cabinet colleagues visited the Lough Boora Discovery Park and Lough Ree power st...

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[Questions] Like everybody else in the country, I could not help but note the Minister's visit to the midlands and the flurry of fast cars involved in that regard as it was well flagged by RTÉ, etc. I am not accusing the Minister of not understanding the issue, because I would not do that. Various...

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[Questions] I have recognised that much wider context as well. I have appointed a just transition commissioner in the person of Mr. Kieran Mulvey and I have given him a very wide brief in terms of the proposals announced in the budget around developing retrofitting opportunities, repurposing the pu...

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[Questions] I thank the Minister for his answer because it clarifies for me the dispute I have with him on what a just transition for workers means. It is all of the above as mentioned by the Minister but it is also about how they are treated while their jobs are being done away, what access they h...

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[Questions] The just transition commission is not replicating the industrial relations service of the Workplace Relations Commission. In terms of what I am doing, for which I have obtained funding, I am putting in place a fund that can allow alternative developments to occur, including training for...

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[Topical Issues] I raise this issue on foot of an ongoing review of the peat briquette production end of Bord na Móna's business. The review is clearly the result of a decline in sales of peat briquettes, although production continues by virtue of the need to stockpile. The review is centred on th...

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[Topical Issues] The introduction of a carbon tax was about sending a price signal that there is a cost associated with the combustion of fossil fuels to the detriment of the environment. Peat briquettes have among the highest carbon content of all fossil fuels. As a result, they are among the dir...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister of State for his response. I had hoped the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment who has an oversight role relating to Bord na Móna among other semi-States, would be present to deal with the matter but I take it his Department felt it was ...

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[Topical Issues] The carbon tax was always going to increase, as per the plan when it was introduced in 2010, to bring it line with the taxes on other solid fuels in the market. It was not, therefore, a question of the Government deciding to double the tax. The plan on its introduction in 2010 was...

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[Topical Issues] I am a bog woman and very proud of it. I come from the heart of the Bog of Allen.[O'Loughlin, Fiona]

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[Topical Issues] That makes two of us.[Naughten, Denis]

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[Topical Issues] I was about to say the Minister was also very proud of his roots. There are plenty of bogs in County Roscommon.[O'Loughlin, Fiona]

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I will not recite poetry, although I will declare an interest to the extent that I have been eaten out of the bog by midges on many occasions. The village in which I was born is surrounded by bog. Incidentally, I hated every da...

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[Topical Issues] I am reassured by the Minister's commitment to sustain employment in Bord na Móna. As I noted and he acknowledged, many towns and villages in County Kildare and the midlands owe their development to the company. Many families depend on the continued viability of Bord na Móna. Whe...

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[Topical Issues] The new chief executive officer, CEO, must come into place and I will have the same conversation with the new CEO that I had with his predecessors. For me it is a priority to maintain job numbers right across the midlands. I have made that crystal clear. As we transition away fro...

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[Topical Issues] The third issue in the name of Deputies Naughten and Stanley is very close to my own heart. I welcome the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Richard Bruton.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] Local Deputies, including Deputies Eugene Murphy and Stanley, met representatives of the Bord na Móna group of unions yesterday. They informed us that the company is currently borrowing money from day to day to pay its staff. The public service obligation finishes for Lough Ree po...

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[Topical Issues] I thank Deputy Naughten. He is always spot on with his speaking time, which I appreciate.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Acting Chairman. I acknowledge that he was also present at yesterday's meeting. The unions asked me to call that meeting last week. I believe it was very fruitful. We are facing a dire situation in respect of Bord na Móna. There are huge problems and it is facing a ...

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[Topical Issues] I thank both Deputies for raising this issue. I am aware of their intensity of feeling in this regard. I will just say a few things. Just transition is at the very heart of the climate action plan and Government has recognised that those who are most exposed to the impact of the ...

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[Topical Issues] By Christmas Day, 2,000 people across the midlands could be without a job, with a further 2,000 people looking to the New Year in despair in light of the likely loss of their own jobs. Will the Minister give a commitment here, on the floor of the House, that he will bring in the ch...

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[Topical Issues] I concur with what the previous speaker has said; time is of the essence. What we heard about the situation yesterday demonstrates that time is not on our side, as those of us who have been following the issue and making representations on it know. We are literally trying to catch...

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[Topical Issues] I assure the Deputies that I have already met with both CEOs. The ESB in particular is intensively assessing its options in light of An Bord Pleanála's decision.[Bruton, Richard]

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[Topical Issues] The next issue is in the name of Deputy Kelly, who wishes to discuss the decision to move the new Tipperary-Clare regional Garda headquarters to Ennis. Will the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, be taking it?[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] If Deputy Kelly wants to wait for the Minister, that is fine with me.[Canney, Seán]

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[Topical Issues] The practice in this House is that a relevant Minister answers the questions. I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, but he is not a Minister in the Department of Justice and Equality. If he were a Minister of State in that Department, it would be fine. As ...

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[Topical Issues] I am deputising as Chair and I have no responsibility for the Minister or Ministers of State.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] I am not saying that.[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] I advise the Deputy to take it up with the Ceann Comhairle. This has arisen before. All I can do is advise-----[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who is a fine Minister of State in his own area, but to be fair he will only be reading a script. This is about a very serious issue, namely, the loss of the regional headquarters of An Garda Síochána in Tipperary. They...

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[Topical Issues] I understand the Deputy's frustration. It is not the first time this has happened. All I can say is that I will talk to the Ceann Comhairle. I now ask the Deputy to proceed.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] No. I will not be proceeding. This is disrespectful to the House.[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] I am here chairing. If the Deputy does not wish to raise his matter, I will suspend the House for the next few minutes.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] That is fine. I am entitled to make my point. I mean no disrespect-----[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] I allowed the Deputy to make his point.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] I mean no disrespect to the Acting Chairman. There is no point in my coming in here to raise a topical issue if there are Ministers available and if not one has the courtesy to answer a serious question pertaining to his or her Department. It is just not acceptable. The custom an...

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[Topical Issues] I do not dispute the case the Deputy is making and I understand his frustration but if he wishes to withdraw his issue, he may do so now.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] What is the point in asking my question? I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State who is present, Deputy Canney. What is the point?[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] I presume that if the relevant Minister is not available, a Minister of State takes the question. We do not like it but that is the procedure.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] The procedure is to make a Minister of State from the relevant Department available. In this scenario, none of the three Ministers of State seems to be available. In this case, the procedure is that the questioner should be asked whether it is acceptable for another Minister or Mi...

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[Topical Issues] The Deputy has made his point. If he wishes, he can defer the matter. I cannot do anything else for him.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] I understand that. I have no issue with the Acting Chairman. What I am saying is accurate. This is insulting and wrong. That the Department of Justice and Equality could not bother its backside to make one Minister or Minister of State available, or extend to me the courtesy of ...

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[Topical Issues] As I said, I totally understand the Deputy's frustration and can see the point he is making. I will talk to the Ceann Comhairle.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] It is more than a point. It is the custom and practice.[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] We are not going to start arguing over words. All I can say to the Deputy is that if he wishes to defer his matter, he should do so and take the matter up with the Ceann Comhairle. I will also speak to the Ceann Comhairle about it.[Murphy, Eugene]

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Acting Chairman.[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] To clarify what was said by the Acting Chairman, Deputy Eugene Murphy, if a Minister or Minister of State from the relevant Department is not available or will not be available, it is normal to tell the Office of the Ceann Comhairle.[An Leas-Cheann Comhairle]

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[Topical Issues] Did it happen in this instance?[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] I cannot say categorically but I doubt if we were told. If we had been, the officials would have dealt with it. It is the Deputy's right to request a deferral. I will ask the Ceann Comhairle to consider the matter for tomorrow or the next day the Deputy is available.[An Leas-Chea...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] I find it incredible that a Minister of State at the Department of Health who is from inner city Dublin, although, in fairness, originally from Galway, as I found to my cost in a recent national league final, is dealing with this question.[Kelly, Alan]

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[Topical Issues] He is multi-talented.[An Ceann Comhairle]

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[Topical Issues] I raise this issue because it is a concern of mine and of many workers within Bord na Móna that jobs are being put at risk in its transport rail and road divisions by the board's plans to outsource those services and impose unilateral pay cuts on existing workers. There was much co...

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[Topical Issues] Surely one of the Ministers was available from the appropriate Department. I ask for the indulgence and support of the Government for the workers in the Littleton Bord na Móna factory.
A political charge was made against me on the floor of the House today by the leader of Fianna ...

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[Topical Issues] I thank Deputy Cowen for raising this important issue and I acknowledge the presence of Deputy Eugene Murphy. It is an issue close to all our hearts. As Deputies Cowen and Murphy are aware, Bord na Móna is facing significant business challenges in the context of the deregulation o...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue and supporting the rights of the workers in the Littleton Bord na Móna plant. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, who apologises that he...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister for his response and acknowledge that he has sought a report from the board on this issue. I ask him to request that specific acknowledgement be made in the report of the submissions by workers or their representatives on their ability to achieve the same cost ...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister of State for his efforts in reading that out. As I said earlier, a political charge was made. In June 2015, the CEO of the company came and spoke very well to the workers. I regret, however, that a senior member of Bord na Móna did not come down to meet the w...

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[Topical Issues] I would not like to get into a scrap between Deputies Alan Kelly and Micheál Martin, so I will stay out of that aspect of the debate. Deputy Kelly is right to come here to defend and fight for the rights of workers. That is the duty of all of us. The issues he raises are very imp...

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[Topical Issues] The emissions trading scheme, ETS.[Naughten, Denis]

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[Topical Issues] As I stated, we can talk about that another day. It is important that the Minister reflects on the two points I have made and ensures that any such report that emanates from the board takes note of and responds to those, and then we could have a solution.[Cowen, Barry]

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[Topical Issues] I thank Deputy Cowen. I have no direct role in this. It is an operational matter for the company. Having said that, Deputy Cowen, like me, has received representations from transport staff, both on the rail side and on the road transport side, as has Deputy Eugene Murphy. All of...

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[Topical Issues] It was with grave concern that we learned of Bord na Móna's plans to invest €60 million in the construction of a plant in Georgia in the United States. It seems that the woodchip which will be manufactured at this plant will be imported into Ireland for the purposes of biomass ener...

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[Topical Issues] Thank you, Deputy.[Connolly, Catherine]

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[Topical Issues] A project such as the one I am advocating would require up to 70 plants nationwide at key locations throughout the country-----[Cahill, Jackie]

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[Topical Issues] Deputy, we will run out of time for the other Topical Issue matters.[Connolly, Catherine]

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[Topical Issues] -----similar to our dairy co-op structure.[Cahill, Jackie]

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[Topical Issues] The Deputy can come back in for his two minutes.[Connolly, Catherine]

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[Topical Issues] First, I would like to state that Bord na Móna is a commercial semi-State company operating under the Turf Development Acts 1946 to 1998. The matter raised by the Deputy is operational in nature and not one in which I, as Minister, have direct function. Nevertheless, as the Minist...

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[Topical Issues] I am afraid the Minister will not have time to finish; the four minutes are up. I am sorry about that, unless Deputy Cahill wants to give his two minutes to the Minister.[Connolly, Catherine]

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[Topical Issues] The Minister's reply is welcome. That he still has not given ministerial approval to this planned investment is welcome also. We can have an Irish solution to this problem and that is what will benefit rural Ireland. That is the essence in terms of the reason these semi-State com...

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[Topical Issues] To finish what I was saying earlier, I reiterate that my focus is on fostering the sustainable production of biomass in Ireland. Any actions taken in terms of the sourcing of biomass from abroad should be evaluated in the context of the capacity of the Irish biomass market, and my ...

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[Topical Issues] I welcome the opportunity to address the Minister on this matter as it is a very important issue in Laois and Offaly. As a former employee of Bord na Móna, as were most of my family, I am very concerned about it.[Stanley, Brian]

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for taking the time to discuss this very important topic. My thoughts are with the staff of Bord na Móna and their families on what has been a very difficult day for them. Many of these people are my constitue...

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[Topical Issues] I spoke on this matter during Leaders' Questions. The Tánaiste responded in fairly general terms. His response was commendable in the sense that he reiterated the commitment of Government to making various State supports available to staff of Bord na Móna in the short-term. Perha...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I recognise the concern that all Deputies have expressed about the potential impact of this on affected families. Bord na Móna is a commercial State company with a mandate to develop the midlands region, and I believe it is taking the ...

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[Topical Issues] The key issue is that we do not want the midlands to become the rust belt of Ireland. Last week, when I met Bord na Móna’s chief executive officer, Mr. Tom Donnellan, and some of his staff, he outlined how the company has plans for waste to energy, horticulture and aquaculture. Bo...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister for his reply and welcome the confirmation that an application will be made to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. In many ways, the change in structure of a firm of this size is the equivalent of the closure of coal mines in Wales in the 1980s. It wil...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister for his reply. I welcome his statement to the effect that the ESB will proceed with the planning applications to which I referred in the coming weeks. We look forward to that because it guarantees the remaining workforce in the peat harvesting area meeting exp...

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[Topical Issues] We have no intention of allowing the midlands to become a rust belt. I was the Minister who introduced regional action plans. It was the first time ever the State developed bottom-up regional enterprise plans for which we allocated €250 million in regional enterprise funds. That ...

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[Topical Issues] There has only been one IDA Ireland site visit to the midlands this year.[Cowen, Barry]

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Minister for being here and for his time. I wish to raise an incredibly important issue for my constituents in the area of Kildare, in Kilberry and Athy. It concerns the Bord na Móna plant. Since 1933, when the idea of harvesting peat and turf came into being, and fro...

Vol-945 Book-1 Page [729]

[Topical Issues] I thank the Deputy for raising this specific issue, which is important and which was raised privately with me as well.
Bord na Móna is facing significant business challenges in the context of the deregulation of the electricity market and increasingly competitive and challenging e...

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[Topical Issues] I accept that a review is under way, which is very important. I also accept the Minister's bona fides in terms of sustaining Irish jobs. The Minister said that this is a matter of concern for him but it is a matter of huge concern for me in light of his response. He said that this...

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[Topical Issues] I thank Deputy O'Louglin for her questions. I want to make it quite clear that I could have kicked this can down the road, not made a decision and told Bord na Móna not to invest in the UK operation. Had I done that, within 12 to 18 months, Deputy O'Loughlin and her colleagues wou...

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[Topical Issues] Some 24 days ago the Government published the climate action plan which referred to a just transition. That seems to have been ignored today as 148 employees from counties Roscommon and Longford, 72 of them permanent staff, are to be laid off by Bord na Móna. The justification for...

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[Topical Issues] In addition to the 75 full-time workers and 48 seasonal workers, 50 other subcontract workers are affected by this, such as lorry drivers and people not employed by Bord na Móna who now have no job either as a result of this announcement.[Fitzmaurice, Michael]

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[Topical Issues] A total of 150 jobs are gone and it is a total shock. None of the Oireachtas Members or councillors knew anything about this until the news started to filter out this morning. It is deplorable and unacceptable. We might be talking about the hot water coming from the power station...

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[Topical Issues] The decision this morning to lay off 148 people will have a devastating impact on those to be laid off, their families, the community of Lanesborough and much further afield. To my mind, the State bodies, comprising the ESB, the EPA and Bord na Móna, have been negligent in their at...

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[Topical Issues] I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I understand the concern expressed locally. It is an appalling shock for workers to receive notice that they have been put on protective notice as a result of decisions made. As the Deputies know, last month the ESB shut down the Lough...

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[Topical Issues] The stories from the ESB, Bord na Móna and the EPA do not add up. My understanding is that the contracted tonnage has already been achieved. I ask the Minister to get answers to the questions I have raised and I would like a copy of those replies as well. Some 400 families are di...

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[Topical Issues] The Minister should acknowledge that there are more than 150 jobs affected. Do people who are subcontractors not matter? It is always the case that no one thinks about the people in the lorries, the people who supply the lorries, the mechanics and the people in the shops who will ...

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[Topical Issues] The Minister can be in no doubt now after hearing the words of Deputies Naughten, Fitzmaurice, Troy and myself. This really is not good enough. The Minister spoke in his reply about the station being closed for up to three months. This issue must be acted on now. I call on the M...

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[Topical Issues] As has been said, contradicting stories have come from the three different agencies. That is why they need to be brought into one room so that they cannot contradict the stories. The Minister is the person to do that. Since this issue was made known in 2013, why has it taken five...

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