Carol Nolan warns peat imports threaten 17,000 Midlands jobs
Carol Nolan addressed peat importation and its local impact, arguing the transition away from peat has been handled unfairly and calling on the minister to take action. She said imported peat and job losses are harming the Midlands and urged a just transition for affected workers.
Imports and figures
Carol Nolan cited figures from the Department of the Taoiseach showing "3.5 million worth of peat" was imported into the country last year and framed that trade as part of the problem she raised in the debate on peat importation.
Jobs at risk in the Midlands
She warned that "there are 17,000 jobs or more at risk," saying workers who lost jobs during the global pandemic are suffering and counties like Offaly are bearing the brunt. Nolan emphasised people in affected communities have bills and mortgages and need concrete support.
Calls for a just transition
Nolan demanded a just transition for the Midlands and for workers in peat and related industries, urging the minister to "take action and wake up" to the scale of the impact. She argued the transition has to be fair and provide real employment alternatives for those currently employed on bogs.
Government response and projects
In the exchange recorded in the transcript, the minister referenced support for some 39 projects developed with the Just Transition Commissioner, Ciarán Mulvey, noting concerns about European funding approval but expressing confidence most projects can proceed and be invested in.
Industry and environmental context
The minister acknowledged peat extraction as a significant environmental issue while also noting that much horticultural peat had historically been exported to Dutch and UK growers. He flagged the need to protect the mushroom and horticultural industries, explore substitutes and support a switch from brown to green jobs using transferable bog-management skills.
Transcript clarity
The final portion of the transcript includes fragmented and unclear remarks that do not form a coherent policy statement. The record focuses primarily on Nolan's call for immediate action on imports, jobs and a fair transition.
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On the same issue, on the importation of peat. Minister, it makes no sense. This peat has been imported, as Deputy Brown referred to in his contribution. I got figures from the Department of the Taoiseach which shows that 3.5 million worth of peat was imported into this country last year. Now, we had workers who lost their jobs during a global pandemic. It's not right. There are 17,000 jobs or more at risk. And the Midlands is suffering adversely, Minister Taoiseach. And our Minister, Gamal Eshigil. And you need to take action and take on board that the transition is not fair. Counties like Offaly are bearing the brunt of aspiration and rhetoric that is empty. People are losing jobs. These are people who have bills and mortgages to pay. And I'm asking you to take action and wake up. First, I can say we need a just transition for the Midlands particularly and for all those workers on board them own and related industries. The Minister, without interruption, please. The Minister, without interruption. The Minister, without interruption, please. That's why we supported some 39 projects that the Just Transition Commissioner, Ciarán Mulvey, had worked with local communities. There was concern about some of those that they might not be able to qualify for European approval funding and so on. From what I hear, the vast majority, it looks like that will not be a problem and we will be spending and investing that money. And we will be supporting board them own in their switch from brown to green because they recognise and I think they're right that the skills they have in managing bogs actually can be used now in this low carbon future. And we can create employment and energy and industry on the back of that. The issue of our peat extraction is a huge, significant environmental issue. But to depict this as a problem about exports is not the issue because if you look at it, the vast majority of our peat was always exported. Most of our peat for extraction for horticulture use was used by Dutch growers and UK growers. And yes, we have to make sure that the mushroom industry and the horticultural industry here survive and thrive and I believe they will. And yes, we'll have to look at a whole variety of different solutions, including using imported products. And look for new substitutes. But the real opportunity in the Midlands is actually the switch to green, where the employment and the investment and the finance will be. I thought ... And no matter what the author has was a summit and whether it is to bolsterな women's. Something like that or just like that I've not lived and was brought up in the Facebook community to get some new stuff that is the biggest thing that happened at the time... What do you see here? I think perhaps the afraid I wouldn't think about that. What you see here, if people take thearan spinach moved in this country running, and why we care for more people like that they are on theictus side of the table on the fire itself. And by Pacific note that the spectral vegetables and there tights them with us, which is across the region of ensuring that the frequency of the population of surprising ones have been broad define their issues. So they taught us how we see north reraid thesells.
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