With the help of Deputies, I will try to accommodate as many contributors as possible today. They should agree with my wish to call first those Deputies who did not have the opportunity to contribute on the Order of Business yesterday.

As the Taoiseach knows well, the midlands has been hit by a tsunami with the proposed closure of Bord na Móna and ESB power stations, particularly those at Lough Ree and Shannonbridge. We have not had balanced regional development in north-east Roscommon despite the efforts of the Government. Our lifeline has been cut, and this has been a lifeline for the past 70 years. If I go around my area, every second or third house would have had a person employed by Bord na Móna or the ESB. Can the Taoiseach provide any hope in terms of what we can do for people in the region? I acknowledge that meetings are taking place and we met some people from Europe the other day. Nevertheless, this is a serious crisis and we need everybody on board to ensure our communities are not totally destroyed.

We could bend the rules and say this matter might be in the programme for Government.

It is in the programme for Government under the heading of balanced regional development.

It is and I am happy to answer the Deputy, with the agreement of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. The Deputy asked the very good question of whether I can give hope to the people in the regions who will be affected by the closure of the peat power stations. The answer is "Yes" and I can. This is the first big test of just transition for our country which, over the next couple of years, will get out of burning peat. It is the right action from an environmental perspective but we must ensure the workers are looked after, with alternative employment brought into those regions and communities to replace that which is being lost.

The Deputy is aware that we are using proceeds from the carbon tax to establish a just transition commission and fund. The members had their first meeting in Tullamore just the other day. We are also investing in the National Parks and Wildlife Service and bog restoration. Bord na Móna will do that on top of the Government investment. Many of the staff could be moved from cutting bogs to restoring bogs. Bord na Móna is also diversifying its work away from being brown to being green. It is getting involved with recycling waste and other work. We are also investing in tourism in the region, particularly in the Ireland's Hidden Heartlands initiative. I am determined, as Head of Government, to ensure that not only do the midlands not lose employment or economic activity because of this change but also that we will target investment in those areas so they can be better off. IDA Ireland has a role to play in this too.