Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the clarification that, at least, the ESB is looking at the classification of the plant. The reality is that will probably require approximately 30 employees. However, compared with the height of having 600 employees at the plant, it is no compensation for the wider community. Yet again, it protects the State's requirement to have a back-up electricity supply. What we need is targeted investment under the just transition fund and a portion of the €77 million that has been provided by the EU to support the communities that have already lost very significant amounts of income as a result of the way in which the ESB had to downsize its operations at Moneypoint. It is important that funding is put in place to ensure there is gainful employment. I look forward to proposals and plans for developing offshore wind energy projects, but the experts have indicated that such projects are probably ten years away. We need to protect these communities and bridge the gap between now and ten years hence when there is expected to be potential employment in that area.