Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
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458. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will urgently address the threats to employment, of layoffs, short-term and part-time working and job losses at the Bord na Móna factory at Littleton, Thurles, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16709/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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While the matter raised by the Deputy is an operational one for the management team at Bord na Móna, and not one in which I, as Minister, have any function, it is a matter of concern to me, my Department has raised the issue in relation peat production with the management team at Bord na Móna and I am advised that the temporary cessation of peat briquette production is confined to two factories at Littleton, Co. Tipperary and Derrinlough, Co. Offaly. I am also advised that the management team is considering all options to keep the number of layoffs to the absolute minimum. I would encourage management and staff to work together in managing the difficult period ahead while looking forward to the restart of production at the earliest possible date.

More broadly Bord na Móna is facing significant business challenges in the context of the deregulation of the electricity market and increasingly competitive and challenging environments across all its business areas. I understand that in order to ensure its continued success, the company is implementing a programme to transform all areas of its operations and structure, the key objective of which is to improve business effectiveness and efficiency. In that regard, I have been advised that management and union representatives are currently involved in discussions under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission on a range of issues relating to business transformation in the company. These discussions include areas related to the terms and conditions of employees. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on this matter while these discussions are in progress.