I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this important issue in the House.
As the Minister is aware, there has been a power station and coal mine in Arigna for many years. Unfortunately it has been decided by the Government that next week the Arigna power station will cease operation.
Mining began in Arigna in the 19th century. In the present century it was carried on by one mine proprietor and subsequently followed by at least two others. The Arigna miners played a crucial role in the national economy during the war years when some 350,000 tonnes of coal was taken annually to the ESB and other semi-State operations.
In 1958 the power station at Arigna was commissioned and has since performed at a high efficiency level within plant parameters. In 1989 it was the fifth most efficient power station in the ESB network, well above the efficiency level of even the Moneypoint power station. In over 30 years it has produced electricity economically with technical efficiency. In 1989 the work cost was almost £4 million, nearly £1 million less than 1988; 45.8 million units were generated and 42.3 million units were sent into the system.
An undertaking initially established for social considerations has become an efficient user of natural resources in the area. We have reached the point where a natural resource in Arigna has been used to provide 300 well paid jobs and is now to be taken from the area. The people concerned have a considerable fear of the problems ahead with respect to the future and alternative opportunities.
The loss of 300 jobs in an area such as Arigna would have the same relative impact as the loss of a major multinational enterprise employing thousands of people in a recognised industrial zone. The major difference is that the people now being put on the dole do not have alternative employment within the State. They will be forced to emigrate or to move to larger centres thus depriving businesses of the area of their spending power. This will have knock-on effects in terms of retail and other job losses.
Since the 1970s oil crisis, EC member states have sought to reduce dependence on external energy supplies through greater efficiency, diversification of sources, increased use of solid fuels and the development of renewable energy. Coal is still a major source of energy throughout the world. In other Community countries such as France, Germany and Spain a recommendation has been made to concentrate on the construction of new, small, environmentally friendly coal-fired power stations able to generate sufficient electricity for a region rather than feeding the national grid. This development should be considered for the difficulty now posed for Arigna.
Over the years a large 445 megawatt generating station was promised for Arigna and tests were carried out on the availability of suitable coal and the use of same through a fluidised bed system for the generation of electricity in the larger power station generating unit. At the time it was considered that the capital outlay was considerable, but there was no other reason for not proceeding with it. However, the people of Arigna believe that this proposal should now be developed in the area to save these jobs.
Some 60 jobs will be lost at the week-end, and this decision has been taken by the Government. Arigna power station will stop producing electricity next Friday and the socio-economic effect that this will have on the mid-Leitrim north Roscommon area will be devastating. The people who travelled from the area today came up for one last attempt to persuade the Government to allow the station to continue at Arigna. I know the Minister has been very involved in the county enterprise boards. The Culliton report, which we have all heard so much about, contained recommendations on the development of industry and the creation of jobs in this country. One of the cornerstones of the Culliton report was indigenous industry. What more indigenous industry is there in this country than the mining of coal?
Reports were produced stating that coal deposits in Arigna, County Roscommon, and Athacashel, County Leitrim can last up to 15 years. A number of proprietors of mines are willing to mine that coal and employ extra people. Over 250 jobs have been lost in the mining industry already. Some of those people have been waiting for those jobs to come back, since coal deposits are still in the area, but the Government has decided, wrongly I think, to close down the power station. It is a bad political decision for this area.
The Taoiseach took a personal interest in the proposed research and development work. He represents the area and MF Kent will be involved in the research and development of the gasification of coal. The previous Minister for Energy was given reports which show that this effort is only prolonging the life of the power station. The Government is receiving money from Europe for three years to carry out this research. This proposal is not feasible for the people who now face unemployment and life on the dole.
The Minister comes from the west; County Leitrim and that part of Roscommon have been ravaged by emigration. We need to keep jobs in the area. We have an indigenous industry and employers who are willing to keep jobs in the area, but this Government does not have the political will to allow the power station to say open. This political decision can be taken by the Taoiseach. This Government can save 60 jobs and create extra jobs in the indigenous coal-mining industry.
We must make one last effort, as public representatives for the area, to have the station kept open. My colleagues, Senator Naughten and Senator Finneran, who represent the area, are here, and also Senator Mooney, Deputy Ellis, and Deputy Doherty are present in the House. They want this station to be kept open and the mining to continue. There is cross-party unanimity that this power station should be left open, because the area faces an economic disaster if it closes. Some 60 jobs will be lost in Drumshanbo and Ballyfarnham. The people of Arigna, especially those who have been mining there for generations, who hoped that they could go back to mining, will be devastated by this decision. I make a final appeal to the Minister to allow Arigna power station to continue; we need it very badly in the area. I am not trying to raise any political hackles about this. I genuinely believe the station should be kept open as we have deposits there to last 15 years.
In 1985 the present Tánaiste, who was then Minister for Energy, gave a categorical assurance to Members of the Dáil that Arigna power station would not be closed until all the deposits of coal in the area were exhausted. That decision was altered by the previous Government, and this Government is continuing where it left off. This is a political decision which can only be changed by Government. I hope the Minister will announce this evening that Arigna power station will be kept open.
