andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport and Power what steps Bord na Móna are taking to diversify their operations into other lines of production so as to ensure that employment will be maintained in areas where bogs are running down.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord na Móna Diversification.
7.
The phasing out of the bogs at present in peat production will be a gradual process starting approximately 12 to 15 years from now. It is calculated that on average these bogs will be worked for a further 25 years.
Considerable research is in progress to establish the best form of utilisation of the cutaway areas resulting from peat production. I would refer the Deputy to the annual report of Bord na Móna for the year 1969-70 which gives full details of this research work which is being conducted in conjunction with An Foras Talúntais.
In addition, Bord na Móna are investigating the possibility of other forms of diversification suited to the skills and resources available to them.
Would the Minister state if there has been over the past few years a decrease in the number of casual workers employed by Bord na Móna? Would he further state if they are investigating the possibility of expanding their work on the manufacture of machinery on which they have entered at present, making machinery for themselves? Is it proposed to expand this further in view of the fact that the type of horticultural work to which the Minister refers does not have, perhaps, as high an employment content as would be necessary to absorb all the workers who would eventually be disemployed?
The assumption in the first part of the Deputy's question is correct. There has been a diminution of lowly-paid unskilled employment and a substantial increase in well-paid, skilled employment. This is precisely why I mentioned in the last sentence that Bord na Móna are very actively investigating some possible forms of diversification which may require legislation. By diversification I mean the type of diversification mentioned by the Deputy in regard to engineering or other aspects of industrial or other activity which will absorb in time the skills that have been created by Bord na Móna in these areas.