Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The process of industrial relations, and I worked on that brief for a while, is that if there is a local arrangement such as an industrial relations committee, which there is in Bord na Móna, that is where issues are dealt with. If they are not resolved they go to the Workplace Relations Commission, which is the experienced body in industrial relations. The reality is that just transition goes much beyond industrial relations issues. For example, we need to see quality education programmes, which would be delivered by institutes of technology and education and training boards. We need to see the development of enterprise hubs, which fall to be delivered through bodies such as Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise offices. We bring the various challenges to those who have the experience. I do not think it would be appropriate to ask bodies with experience in industrial relations to become experts suddenly on how to develop an integrated plan on bog restoration, retrofitting, enterprise hubs, retraining and dealing with communities that have been disrupted. This is a much broader agenda. What we are doing is falling back on NESC, which is tried and tested in looking at where big social transitions have had to occur in the past. It has that expert experience. We are also putting in place someone who is recognised as having the capacity to help us design a model that is tailor made to the needs of the midlands. We will use the resources of the State to support the type of recommendation that will come forward. The response we have is the most appropriate one. It uses people who have established skills in the areas where they are most likely to deliver results.