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A father of three, Pat Phelan (58) has been an installer since 1978 in the maintenance of grbad cutting machines at Bord na Móna. He is devastated by the announcement of job losses.
"Everyone is devastated," he said. "It will absolutely affect everyone, they are talking about 17 areas that will not be in production next year, and that includes mechanics, machine drivers, supervisors, foremen, and so on.
"If there is less production, there are fewer people, nobody knows exactly who will leave.
"We hope it will be voluntary, but if they do not get enough, what will happen?"
He added that the fact that the average worker on Board na Móna belongs to a more advanced age category means that many of them would leave if there was a good plan for dismissal.
But no one yet knows what the terms are.
"I have not heard about what the package will be," he said. "There was one when Littleton (peat briquette factory) closed, but it may not be suitable for this situation."
Pat, who lives in Doon, County Offaly, maintains machinery, including excavators that load peat.
"I served my sentence on board na Móna," he said. "It's a crucial moment for me, my father was working here before me, he started in the 1950s as a general laborer and cut the lawn by hand, and he was in some of the first peat bogs in Boora. worked here too. "
When asked if he is optimistic that the company can create the 500 jobs promised, it is not so sure. "These jobs must be created within a reasonable time and I can not see them being created in time for people who lose their jobs to apply."
He did not plan to retire before the age of 65 and should find another job as he left. His wife does not work. "It will be devastating to wake up one morning and not find work," he said. "I have been working with guys here for years.
"I have three girls and two are in college, so it's quite expensive," he said. "Of course you're worried, you have to be worried, because Bord na Móna is all that I have."
Irish independent
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