WATCH: 'My county is suffering greatest' - Cowen raises the end of Offaly's bogs in Dáil

Offaly TD Barry Cowen has raised the increasing fears of redundancies and long-term employment issues in the Midlands as a result of Bord na Mona's decarbonisation plans. 

Deputy Cowen was speaking under a special topical issue in the Dáil on Wednesday evening where he said, "my county is suffering most" as a result of these changes. 

Deputy Cowen was commenting as it was revealed that more than 600 employees have applied for the voluntary redundancy scheme and that work will be suspended on four more bogs resulting in a further 50 job losses.

Deputy Cowen explained: “Bord na Móna now intends to cease peat harvesting completely by 2025 - five years ahead of its previously announced deadline of 2030."

“The speed at which this is happening is completely disproportionate to any investment in the region and the midlands will be left behind."

"While I acknowledge the work of Offaly County Council in establishing a transition forum to co-ordinate a response to workforce displacement, this alone is not enough to mitigate the negative impact of the loss of the industry. The existing carbon tax, which only serves to prop up the Governments balance sheet, is not reinvested into the areas impacted hardest on by decarbonisation."

He called on the government to act more quickly to counteract the impact of the impending end of peat production and job losses in the region.