The Congress Energy Sector Group has welcomed the publication of the interim report of the Just Transition Commissioner, Mr Kieran Mulvey, on the situation in the Midlands and said it will study both the report and the response of the Government in detail, over the coming days.
The Energy Sector Group - which represents workers across the energy sector in the Midlands and nationally - will consider the report and issue a full response in the coming days.
The Energy Sector Group said it has major concerns over the fact that hundreds of workers are still on lay-off in Bord na Mona in circumstances where harvesting should be occurring and required rehabilitation and decommissioning work has been put back to next year, apparently due to financial constraints. It said the employment of workers must be prioritised.
It said the overriding imperative of any transition process must be the delivery of a genuine Just Transition for the workers and communities of the Midlands, one which will ensure quality jobs in sufficient numbers to replace those lost and the creation of new opportunities for the region.
The Congress Energy Sector Group thanked Mr Mulvey for his engagement with them on this issue.