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MIDLANDS communities have been dealt with a major blow after Bord na Mona announced 430 job losses as it winds down its peat business.
All the redundancies will be voluntary and will be offered an exit package.
There is no time frame for the future, but it will be negotiated with unions – but the company wants as many redundancies as possible over the next year.
The board has signed off on the restructuring plan that is part of the company's decarbonization strategy.
This policy will be used more environmentally-friendly forms of energy.
In a statement, Bord na Móna said it is about to be able to talk with staff on the possibility of between 380 and 400 managerial, administrative and peat operations roles.
It is accelerating decarbonization and fast tracking renewable energy and higher value recycling, and will bring forward the end of energy peat.
However, it also says it is developing business to support the low carbon economy and has identified potential to create up to 500 jobs across the Midlands "in the medium term".
Chief Executive Tom Donnellan said decarbonization is the biggest challenge facing this planet and is still an option for Bord na Móna.
"While, decarbonization means we need to introduce a new structure it also means some extremely difficult choices," he said.
"It means that many people will be working in operations and also managerial and administrative roles across Bord na Móna.
"We would shortly open a voluntary redundancy program, with the expectation that these changes would affect approximately 380-430 roles and employees. "
He said talks with the group of unions are underway.
"In the medium term, we will be increasing employment in this area but this is not minimizing the need for decarbonization," he said.
He said the company is embarking on a transition phase that will become a leading provider of renewable energy in Ireland by 2026.
It will become a leader in high value recycling and a provider of new low carbon goods and services, he added.
Unions were recently told that the commercial semi-state company plans to close 17 of 62 bogs where peat is harvested.
In 2015, Na na Móna announced it would exit the peat-for-energy business by 2030.
Ten years ago, Bord na Móna pledged to stop opening new bogs and next year.
It also has 125,000 acres of bogland, to be used for renewable energy, eco-tourism and "community amenities".
But to train CEO Mike Quinn promised the business would remain rooted in the bogs.
The company is also providing domestic fuel and horticultural products, and has increased the co-firing of peat and biombad at Edenderry Power Station.
The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment said it remains committed to the company.
"The Department is committed to the long-term sustainability of the country and is currently working with the company to ensure its business model adapts to meet the needs of Ireland's changing economy," it said in a statement.
Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen called for a Sustainable Transition Forum to support the workers must be set up.
He said the government can not wash his hands of this "devastating blow".
"The Government can not just leave this region and these particular communities on its own after such an announcement," he said.
He said that he had written to him to ask for support for his decision.
"Fianna Fáil believes that a Sustainable Transition Forum is desperately needed to alleviate the impact of the job losses, and to plan the local economy to make the transition to other forms of enterprise on board na na móna bogs," he said.
He said the forum would include representatives from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Bord na Móna, the ESB, the existing workforce, the local authorities, public representatives, Enterprise Ireland and research facilities.
The Unite Union has been attacked by the government and is in the process of devastating the Midlands.
"While Unite and the Border Mona Group of Unions will be fully engaged in the consultation process, and will make every effort to work with all stakeholders to preserve the maximum number of jobs, if we do not receive progress reports and insurances in the short "Major Regional Officer Colm Quinlan said that this term would become inevitable.
"We are determined to ensure that the na na Móna, its workers and the communities do not pay the price for decarbonization."
Online Editors
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