Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the first issue, the Deputy is correct in that peat harvesting has got into a difficult planning process. The right to harvest was challenged in the courts. It was found that to resolve those issues a substitute planning would have to be lodged by Bord na Móna. Permission has been granted by An Bord Pleanála to lodge that application and it has been lodged by Bord na Móna. This is a complex planning process which has held up peat harvesting very considerably.

We were working on introducing new support measures later in the year for rehabilitation but, as the Deputy said, we are now looking at the possibility of doing that earlier to support employment in the company. We are examining the options that would allow us to do that. To date, no decisions have been taken. We recognise, as the Deputy does, that this is a potential source of employment that would have both positive environmental benefits and provide work for people who have been disrupted by a series of decisions, which, to be fair to the workers involved and to Bord na Móna, were not anticipated. This work is going ahead.

On the temporary wage subvention, this is available to any company that can demonstrate to the Revenue Commissioners that it has faced a percentage fall, which I believe is 25%, in its order. Bord na Móna has faced such dramatic falls - well beyond that - in the demand for horticultural peat and energy peat, particularly as a result of the demand for electricity where peat has largely been off the grid for the moment. It has a justifiable case that the temporary wage subsidy applies to its business. The issue as to whether it offers redundancy or the order in which this is offered are matters for the company and for negotiation with its workforce and I would not comment on that.

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