Fianna Fáil has no plans to protect workers in the Midlands – Corcoran Kennedy

Fianna Fáil has no plans to protect workers in the Midlands, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Laois Offaly General Election candidate, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, said Fianna Fáil’s manifesto has no detail on enhancing the region and doesn’t contain a single mention Bord na Móna.

In stark contrast, Fine Gael is committed to a just transition plan, which centres upon jobs and retraining opportunities.

Commenting today, Ms Corcoran Kennedy said:  “Where is Fianna Fáil’s just transition plan? What money would they invest and where? The Fianna Fáil manifesto doesn’t even mention the Midlands or Bord na Móna. There is no detail and no commitment. They cannot be trusted to help workers.

Fine Gael is the only party to have actually put forward a just transition plan, which sets out:

• The ring-fencing of 1/3 of the carbon tax for the Midlands in 2020 to support home retrofitting (400 jobs direct and indirect), bog re-wetting by the National Parking and Wildlife Service (up to 100 jobs), and a €11m Just Transition Fund
• We will invest €80m to restore Bord na Móna bogs (through a PSO levy) over the next 4 years, supporting 200 jobs.
• We have appointed Kieran Mulvey as the country’s first just transition commissioner. He is engaging with all stakeholders in the region and will report back to government

In addition, Ms Corcoran Kennedy said, Bord na Móna themselves are transforming.

“The next phase of Bord na Móna’s own plan will see a €1.6 billion development programme that will benefit the Midlands.

“How can anyone trust Fianna Fáil to deliver, given their past record and their complete lack of plan? For Fine Gael, just transition means jobs for the workers affected. We have the plan. We are the only ones who can be trusted to deliver.”