Mr. Declan Hughes:

I thank the Deputy for the question. In other contexts, not just in this context, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund is very much at the centre of the considerations of the Departments of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Education and Skills. The Department of Education and Skills has responsibility for liaising with the EU and has well established processes for drawing down funds from and engaging with the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. We understand that the Department is progressing the matter in this case. This would provide support for training. It is also some advantages with regard to the types of training that can be funded, the allowances, etc. I do not think there will be any particular issue in ensuring that is available. It is part of the suite of supports that is being considered.

To respond to the Deputy's point about workers, the key concern is around demographics and skills. There are some headline figures on the skills and age profile of the different cohorts. Mr. Boland mentioned the work being done by the education and training boards, where they meet the affected workers and engage with them on their age profiles, skills, the areas in which they have been involved and their experience. Not everything comes down to a specific qualification. Somebody who has spent 15, 20, 30 or 40 years in an employment may have a key set of skills. Our agencies make an input into the regional skills forum, which is also led by the Department of Educational and Skills, by identifying where the jobs, skill needs and opportunities are and providing information on the supply side.

Obviously, the workers affected by the decisions by Bord na Móna and the ESB will form part of that assessment to identify if there are opportunities available for them across a range of sectors. Some of the 1,050 job opportunities announced on Monday, whether in retrofitting bogs or other areas, will have certain skill demands. Some of the investments on the construction side will also have demand for certain skills. In two or three weeks, the work of the education and training board will be complete and this will feed into the assessment by the agencies with the regional skills group. From there, we will be able to see what additional retraining is needed.