Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In June it will be one year since Boliden Tara Mines closed with the loss of 600 jobs of those employed directly and more than 2,000 jobs of those employed indirectly. Management and unions are involved in negotiations but progress is very slow. These workers and their families have been left with a feeling of uncertainty over whether the mine will reopen in the second quarter of this year and what the terms and conditions will be for workers, who in many cases have big mortgages and kids going to school with many bills coming in.

The company has asked for 200 voluntary redundancies. We need to make sure that what is offered to these workers is fair and acceptable to them for the time served. Only on Monday of this week Boliden announced a $463.5 million investment for its mine in Sweden. There is no shortage of money but we need to make sure that the Irish workers are respected. How much recent engagement has the Government or the Minister, Deputy Coveney, had with the management and unions regarding Tara Mines? This closure has a massive effect on workers' families in the town of Navan and surrounding areas.

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