Bord Na Móna Creates 300 Jobs

Peat harvesting company Bord Na Móna has announced 300 jobs across the country as part of a major new investment in green energy.

The jobs will be created in a range of areas in projects such as environmental solution, waste recovery and recycling and new investment in wind and gas power stations.

The Government owned company made the announcement at its AGM in Dublin, where it announced an operating profit for the past year of €23.8m.

The announcement comes shortly after the company revealed it had moved into alternative forms of power including wind energy, gas power and horticulture.

Labour's spokesperson on Energy, Liz McManus TD, welcomed the announcement saying it was worth noting an increase in profit of 8% on the previous year, along with a dividend to shareholders of €12.9 million, that was also announced.

"Bord na Móna has proven itself to be an important energy power company in Ireland,” she said.

"It is vital that it is allowed to continue to grow into the future."

However, following on from speculation that the company could be privatised by the Government in the near future, Ms McManus said such a move would be "risky".

"It is vital that the government provides stability for Bord na Móna in the years ahead to allow it to develop its work further. It would be retrograde and risky to go for the option of privatisation.

"It makes no sense to dismantle a profitable State company that is meeting an essential need.

"We have already seen in the privatisation of Eircom how a bad government decision can lead to disastrous consequences in terms of our communications infrastructure."

(DW/BMcC)