Bord na Mona jobs announcement shows need for radical move to new technologies.

Monday, 20 July 2009

Fine Gael ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ document points way forward.

To-day I welcomed Bord na Mona’s announcement that 300 jobs are to be created by expansion into green technologies, as in Fine Gael’s ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ plan, this type of investment is the way forward.

The Fine Gael plan would position our economy as a world leader in green energy, creating 100,000 jobs and moving the country towards energy self-sufficiency.

Ireland’s economy needs to become the most competitive and sustainable in Europe.

The Bord na Mona announcement today is very welcome as it not only provides jobs but also shows that investment in cutting edge technologies is what Ireland needs to pull ourselves out of recession. This is exactly what Fine Gael is getting at in our jobs plan.

Our ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ plan sets out a roadmap that will get 100,000 people back to work in the next four years and, in the process, will position our economy as a world leader in green energy, and will move us towards energy self sufficiency and away from a reliance on fossil fuels

Fine Gael boldly proposes that the two state companies, Bord na Mona and Coillte, be merged into one powerful strategically placed energy company with an €800m investment. This would see Ireland become a global leader in the commercialisation of next generation bioenergy technologies and create hundreds more jobs. Bord na Mona’s announcement today backs up this Fine Gael strategy.

It’s hugely disappointing that the Government hasn’t even responded to this stimulus package by Fine Gael despite attempts by us to engage in a non-partisan way. I appeal to them to look at the Fine Gael radical plan to reform semi state companies and to finance and build a modern new infrastructure in energy, water and IT that can be the basis for new economic growth and position Ireland at the forefront of the energy revolution that is about to take place worldwide.