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Developing new jobs in the midlands will be given a key role in the €11m Just Transition Fund, which is now open for applications.
Retraining workers and proposals for green enterprises will be part of the priority list for Minister Richard Bruton under the fund.
"I am acutely aware of the impact an early exit from peat is having on workers and their families and on the midlands more broadly,” Minister Bruton said.
Securing sustainable employment opportunities for the region and a just transition for those most severely affected must be at the heart of our response
“Like many other businesses, Bord na Móna has also been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which is compounding this impact. Securing sustainable employment opportunities for the region and a just transition for those most severely affected must be at the heart of our response.
Employment/tourism potential
Kieran Mulvey has been appointed as the commissioner of the project and said there had been very significant engagement from all stakeholders.
“The first part of such a plan is to receive and evaluate employment projects in the midlands that have green enterprise and other employment/tourism potential,” Mulvey said.
“This period has to be used also to finalise the critical pathways for the retention of employment in Bord na Móna/ESB, give certainty around the future structure of the workforce and to establish further employment opportunities in the region.
For more information on the fund you can click here.
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