Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will raise one specific issue of the just transition, which is the 280 seasonal workers in Bord na Móna. The Minister will be aware that we had many discussions here in the House about putting in place a programme of bog rehabilitation. Significant funding has now been put in place from climate taxation directly to Bord na Móna, and through the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Bord na Móna has the bulk of those contracts also. The seasonal staff in Bord na Móna have received commitments from the company, and the arrangement with the group of unions is that they will secure work on an annual basis of equivalent financial value to what they would have earned in their seasonal work on the bogs. Many of these 280 employees of Bord na Móna have not been provided with any indication of where or when they will actually commence work. There is huge anxiety among this particular cohort of workers across the State and especially in the midlands. I urge the Minister to consider that talking of just transition is one thing, and implementing it is something very different. It is important that there is a clear and definitive statement provided to each and every one of those 280 workers as to when they will actually start work and for how long.

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