Flaherty repeats call for Minister to publish Just Transition Report

Today’s announcement that Bord Pleanala have finally given the go-ahead for the harvesting of peat at Bord na Mona is a bitter sweet announcement for the local workers, who have been laid off, according to Deputy Joe Flaherty.

The announcement is good news for workers in the horticultural and peat briquettes sections of the business but offers little in the way of hope for workers in this part of the Midlands.  “The station in Lanesboro is still on shutdown and worst fears are being realised now and in all likelihood the station will never re-open.”

What today’s announcement once again highlights is the Minister’s failure t publish the report from the Just Transition Commissioner, Kieran Mulvey. Said Deputy Flaherty: “It has been on the Minister’s desk for several weeks and it is unfair to workers and the wider communities to let it drag on for much longer.”

The Minister said he was delaying the issuing of the report until his advisors had an opportunity to read it and said Deputy Flaherty: “Unless its one of the largest tomes ever compiled its reasonable to assume that they have read and digested the findings at this stage. So it’s a case of publish the report.”

“Work is ongoing on a programme for government and it will be a disservice to the region if the findings of the Just Transition Commissioner’s report do not feed into this programme. The region needs a fighting chance.”