Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fully support the sentiments expressed by Senator Black regarding people in the arts sector, particularly the music industry. She puts the case very well. Due to my past involvement with media and so on, I have been dealing with representatives of those groups over recent weeks. I do not mean to repeat everything Senator Black said, but we must remember that those people are definitely going to be at the very end of the line. That should be remembered. They are facing a very bleak autumn and winter so something needs to be done for them.

I also support the sentiments expressed by Senator Mullen. Human rights are extremely important and I very much support him on that.

The most important point I want to raise is the situation of Bord na Móna and ESB workers, particularly in Lanesborough in the Longford-Roscommon area and Shannonbridge on the Offaly-Galway border. Today is the closing date for the just transition fund of €11 million, which is good and welcome. I assure the Leader and others that some very exciting projects are coming under that. They have been submitted and I hope the funding will come forward for them. I think the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has the most responsibility for this area and it is important that he comes to the House and lays out clear guidelines for the future of that region. I ask the Leader to organise that. Bord na Móna was the lifeline of that region for 70 years. For 70 years, communities were build around it and those people cannot be thrown on the scrap heap now. This is a very important issue in our party and the Green Party and Fine Gael have mentioned it as well. I ask everybody, no matter what part of the country they are from, to remember that area and those people because if they do not get jobs and proper support, it will become a very bleak part of the country.