Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Taoiseach knows well, the midlands has been hit by a tsunami with the proposed closure of Bord na Móna and ESB power stations, particularly those at Lough Ree and Shannonbridge. We have not had balanced regional development in north-east Roscommon despite the efforts of the Government. Our lifeline has been cut, and this has been a lifeline for the past 70 years. If I go around my area, every second or third house would have had a person employed by Bord na Móna or the ESB. Can the Taoiseach provide any hope in terms of what we can do for people in the region? I acknowledge that meetings are taking place and we met some people from Europe the other day. Nevertheless, this is a serious crisis and we need everybody on board to ensure our communities are not totally destroyed.

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