Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, referred to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. It is not three weddings and a funeral. It is three Ministers and a planner in my constituency today launching the enterprise plan for the midlands region across Portlaoise, Mountmellick and Birr. A commitment was given during the Topical Issue debate on 25 October 2018 by the Minister, Deputy Bruton, when he confirmed the Government would make an application to the EU globalisation fund on foot of Bord na Móna's decision to accelerate decarbonisation, which will result in up to 430 job losses. That plan would be great if it had adequate funding to deliver upon what is contained within it. Our region and our county deserve funding over and above existing programmes to deal with the issue of decarbonisation and to deal with the region maintaining its place as an initiator and instigator of the provision of energy in the midlands and in the State. It is rich for the Ministers to be there launching that plan when they could not honour the commitment they gave me in good faith. It will take more than a visit from the "Six One" news to Tullamore on one night of the year to make progress on this matter.

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