Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. When we get to four minutes I will intervene to be fair to the speakers and the people replying. Deputy Munster is not present.

I will take that slot. I thank the trade union delegation for coming in. As a former employee of Bord na Móna and from a constituency point of view, I have a particular interest in what happens. We have been highlighting the transition. There is an opportunity in changing from what could be termed the brown revolution to a sustainable revolution and in terms of new industries. Many of the workers are concerned that there will not be the same number of jobs. Mr. Noone is best placed to give a view on this as he is on the ground. What is the best way to find an alternative that can provide substantial employment? The board is looking at a number of options around energy, horticulture and aquaculture. All of us who have been Bord na Móna employees know that neither horticulture nor fuel will create the same level of work as there was in peat extraction. That is a great concern. Has the ICTU looked at other industries? The board has outlined its big three areas. All of us desperately want to see employment. It is very important that it is maintained. We are talking about communities where there was very little until the 1950s. Older people who remember how it was before then will tell us how difficult it was in those areas. We need to ensure that we do not go back to that post peat extraction.

On the climate action fund, there was €77 million announced the other day, all for very good projects, which is welcome. However, the midlands and Bord na Móna did not figure. Do the witnesses feel that some of this money should have gone towards recalibrating Bord na Móna and getting it into a different space in terms of moving along with new industries?