Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I think I will come in under that.

I support the Bill, which has relevance to my constituency. I was struck by the comment that there are no jobs on a dead planet, which is very evocative. There is no green economy unless there are rewards for workers and communities that make this happen. There needs to be support for communities that lose their fossil fuel industries. This is the basis of fair transition. I, therefore, fully support the Bill.

The key is the Title of the Bill. Those who work in fossil fuel industries should be given opportunities to transition to new jobs via retraining into environmentally sustainable jobs or other careers to sustain their communities. If one applies this to Moneypoint or to the peat-burning industry in the midlands, companies such as the ESB and Bord na Móna should have a responsibility to support those losing their jobs who wish to be retrained or upskilled to find alternative employment.

The Bill proposes a national just transition commission, which is important. In west Clare, we have come together organically over the summer to put together a task force that will redefine the future of Moneypoint. It involves workers, community activists, local representatives and national representatives.

The employers unfortunately were not there. We have called on Government agencies to join the task force. The local authority and the trade unions are fully behind it. That is the core of a just transition commission. Organically we have identified that in west Clare. The task force is tasked with maximising the potential of Moneypoint which has vast potential, not only to generate power but its deep sea port could be developed into a fantastic resource for transit of cargo to and from Europe. The site needs to be developed into a facility which will generate energy, offshore wind, tidal or wave energy or a combination of all three. All are available in abundance on the west coast of Clare.

The Bill also proposes to provide a mediation service to allow communities a forum to discuss and place on a legal basis their chosen transition path. It is important for that to be done on a legal basis. It also proposes to develop just transition plans for new alternative jobs, infrastructure to support those jobs and upskilling and not to leave an area where fossil fuels come to an end to be a wasteland. It also proposes to develop alternative low or no-carbon industries.

Moneypoint has to cease burning coal by 2025 and that has already happened. There are proposals to bring in 104 redundancies out of a total workforce of 198. Those negotiations are under way. Unfortunately, there are no alternative jobs in Moneypoint. This is a loss to the individual who loses his or her job and to the local economy, and reduces the viability of the community. Communities should not be penalised as we move away from fossil fuel industries. They need to be supported by maintaining just employment and invigorating them in a fair and sustainable way.

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