Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has given little clarity on the steps the Government is taking immediately to address, redeploy and reskill workers in the communities affected. There is a 2020 deadline for the ESB. As the ICTU told the Committee on Climate Action this week, when the jobs are gone, they are gone and the people are unemployed. That transition and certainty is still absent. It is vital that the newly appointed commissioner meets with worker representatives, community and environmental groups before the end of the year. Local input into planning and implementation is essential to the success of this process. The Government has not put forward any specific timeline or deadlines for the new commissioner's recommendations. It is important that the Government's quarterly reports include ongoing activities, conclusions and recommendations and are brought to the Joint Committee on Climate Action. Will the Minister confirm that these steps will be taken? What responsibilities will the commissioner have for allocating any funds in communities in the midlands and Clare? On new sources of funding, will he outline how and when the PSO level will be repurposed to support job creation and clarify whether the EU platform for coal will provide financial support?

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