‘All of a sudden income has been taken away from families – nobody escapes’

A situation like this impacts negatively on the local economy – the shops, the butchers, etc. It also impacts negatively on family income – at this time of the year the kids are getting ready to go back to school, students are going to college and money is needed for that.

Now, all of a sudden, that income has been taken away from those families. What a time of year for this to happen – nobody escapes.

These were the sentiments expressed by Fianna Fáil’s deputy Eugene Murphy (pictured above) during Monday’s protest in Lanesboro in support of the Bord na Móna workers – 150 of whom have lost their jobs.

Over 300 people including employees, their families and members of the south Longford community walked in unity and solidarity through the main street of the town where Bord na Móna has been a fixture for over 60 years.

The company announced two weeks ago that as a direct result of the shutdown of the local power station, it was forced into making the decision to lay off a large number of workers including 78 seasonal workers and 72 permanent staff.

The station, meanwhile, was closed on Friday, July 5, by ESB after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated legal proceedings because it deemed the temperature of the cooling water – being discharged from the facility into the river – to be too high.

Anger and dismay

Murphy, meanwhile, pointed to the “widespread anger and annoyance” in the area over the semi-state body’s decision.

I have neighbours and friends who are all connected to Bord na Móna in one way or another.

He continued: “The company has been operating in this country for over 80 years. There is widespread anger and annoyance over the way in which this matter is being handled by the company.

“There is a real threat to all of their jobs – it’s only six weeks ago that the unions sat down with Bord na Móna and reached a deal. While we accept that the power station is now closed because of the difficulty that has arisen, it is not a reason for why people have been left in the situation that they are now left in.”

Hundreds turned out to support Bord na Móna workers on Monday evening

Murphy went on to say that in his view there is still “quite a lot of work to be done in Bord na Móna” and that as far as he is concerned, if the company wanted to, it could continue to employ the staff whose jobs are now on the line.

“We also have to consider the seasonal workers in all of this,” the local TD continued.

This type of work was a great source of employment for students and for people with small farms, etc, and really what we want is for the company to own up here and stop shilly-shallying the way they are.

“The danger is now of course that momentum will slip away here and Bord na Móna will get its way – where are we then?

“Around this region, everything still revolves around ESB and Bord na Móna.”

‘Fairness and Just Transition’

Murphy then pointed to climate action and the role that Bord na Móna has to play in that.

He said that while everyone is aware that change is on the way the issue now is where Just Transition will fit into Bord na Móna’s efforts to decarbonise.

“Most of us in the Dáil really believed that the Bord na Móna transition into all of this would take at least seven years to complete,” he added.

“We thought there would be a gradual changeover and that there would be dual-fueling of the power station here in Lanesboro with biomass and peat.

“Now the semi-state agencies are being questioned as to what is really going on here. The issue with the licence here at the plant in Lanesboro goes back at least five years and nothing happened.

“Then all of a sudden there is chaos over it. It is a bit peculiar to see how the whole thing has developed to be honest with you.”

Time to act

Murphy, meanwhile, called on the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton, to intervene.

I really think that what needs to be done here is that Minister Bruton calls in the head of ESB and the CEOs of both Bord na Móna and the EPA.

He added: “The minister needs to ask them to sort this matter out and to stop pushing it in on top of the workers and the community.

“There is a distrust factor after seeping in now and this is going to cause a lot of hassle in the locality if it is not restored.

As far as I’m concerned the unions are trying to deal with matters in an honest, upfront and fair manner for the workers.

“I don’t believe the unions are getting a fair hearing from the management of Bord na Móna.”