Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I raise the devastating news for 650 staff at Tara Mines, their families, the thousands of indirect jobs in Navan and County Meath and the wider community. On my behalf and on that of Deputy Guirke, I extend solidarity to those workers and their families.

We hear this is temporary and related to the commodities market, the price of zinc, energy costs, general inflation and operational challenges and that the mine is to enter into a period of care and maintenance. We heard and read statements from the general manager, Gunnar Nystrom, and the Minister, Deputy Coveney. We heard from SIPTU official Adrian Kane. We know there is a commitment for continued engagement, for Enterprise Ireland to work with apprenticeships and for social welfare to work with workers affected, but this has come as a bolt out of the blue. There is huge uncertainty and real hurt about the way this was handled.

Deputy Guirke and I have written on numerous occasions to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, when there were concerns in respect of energy. We wrote to Mr. Nystrom as far back as the end of April. The question for workers is what “temporary” means. What more can Government do? Is there anything that can be done? It is clear energy costs are a huge factor.

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