May 31, 2017
The Green Party has warned the government today that the Midlands could become Ireland’s rust belt unless a comprehensive economic plan is put in place to deal with the decline in fossil fuel employment in the area.
The stark warning to government came as the Green Party launched their ‘Just Transition’ plan. Just Transition aims to mitigate negative economic effects for former fossil-fuel workers after the closure of peat-fired power plants.
Speaking today, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan TD said:
Today we are launching our ‘Just Transition’ plan. The aim is simple: to ensure tha workers and communities who rely on fossil fuel related employment are not cast aside and forgotten about as Ireland transitions to a low-carbon economy. (…) The end is coming for fossil fuel employment. Across the globe, the fossil fuel industry is suffering heavy losses and is becoming more and more reliant on government subsidies. In short, the industry is living on borrowed time. However, communities who rely on that employment must not be left behind.
Eamon Ryan emphasised that the transition to a low-carbon economy must be both fast and fair. The ‘Just Transition Plan’ proposed that funding currently used to sustain peat-fired power plants be diverted and spent on retooling existing plant infrastructure, retraining workers, providing job transition supports, attracting new industry renewables, peatland restoration, retrofitting and on social protection.
The plan focuses on those most at risk of job losses first. Among the opportunities identified in the plan are training and grants in retrofitting homes which could create 5,000 jobs. Further, the plan calls on Government to sit down with trade unions, businesses and communities and plan a long-term sustainable transition. Eamon Ryan
Eamon Ryan summed up the core message of ‘Just Transition’ by stating that with proper planning and investment, the transition to a low-carbon economy will not leave any workers behind. All that is required to prevent communities that have previously relied on fossil fuel employment from becoming Ireland’s rust belt is vision and political will in Government.
