Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue. The Government is committed to providing all possible assistance to facilitate a resumption of operations at Tara Mines. This is a matter that has been raised directly at Government level by the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and by Senator Shane Cassells. As the Deputy will know, Enterprise Ireland is liaising with the company on energy and productivity supports that could assist with a sustainable reopening. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and officials from his Department will continue to engage closely, as I assure the Deputy they have been doing, with both management and unions to support ongoing efforts to achieve the accelerated resumption of operations. I have also read of workers' concerns about potential pay freezes and so on. The Government is committed. These are strategically very important jobs for our country. There are skilled workers there. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has had a number of meetings with the management of the Boliden group and with trade unions representing workers to discuss the issues that impact on the potential reopening and such meetings will continue. I will keep the Deputy informed and thank him for raising the matter here today.

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