There was still "a three-week window of opportunity" to save the ESB power station at Ferbane, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, said last night.
She was speaking after ESB management warned trade unions in a sudden announcement that it would close the station if a long-running inter-union dispute over new work practices was not resolved.
Almost 120 jobs at the peatfired plant and more than 200 jobs with Bord na Mona will be lost if Ferbane closes. Villages like Cloughan and Kilcormack will be affected, as well as Tullamore.
While the vast majority of workers at Ferbane have agreed to the work practices, which are part of a £240 million cost and competitiveness review, three instrumentation technicians are refusing to share job functions with electricians. The technicians are members of MSF; the electricians are in the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union.
The ESB has been threatening to close the station for several months, and yesterday senior management told staff there would be a recommendation to the board that essential refurbishment should not go ahead. The £16 million refurbishment is needed to maintain the plant's competitiveness.
The board is expected to endorse the proposals to wind down Ferbane when it meets on October 16th. Last night, Ms O'Rourke said she was hopeful, even at this late stage, that the inter-union problem could be resolved. "I want to see investment in Ferbane to secure jobs, the ESB wants to see investment in Ferbane to secure jobs, and I'm sure the unions want to see investment in Ferbane to secure jobs.
"Peer pressure and public pressure has a chance now to work in these next three weeks," she said. "Common sense must prevail."
She rejected criticism from the local Fine Gael TD, Mr Charles Flanagan, that she "took her eye off the ball" in allowing the crisis to develop. She said she had devoted considerable time to meeting all the unions over many weeks.
The ATGWU branch secretary, Mr Denis Rohan, who represents 85 per cent of the workforce, was also optimistic that a settlement could be achieved. "Obviously we will do everything possible between now and the board meeting to see if we can rescue these jobs," he said. "It would be a disaster if they were lost."
ESB worker director, Mr Joe LaCumbre, who is a member of the TEEU, said he was "appalled at the situation that has been brought about. It will wreak devastation on the entire community.
"Even more appalling is the fact that the whole crisis has been self-inflicted. I don't intend to stand idly by and allow obstruction by a very small number of people to take precedence over the livelihoods of over 300 workers and their families."
Without naming MSF, he said he would be calling on "authoritative trade union leaders to take charge of the situation". He added that a solution must come through the ESB group of unions.
It is understood there are about 60 instrument technicians in the ESB, and a national agreement is being negotiated with them. They are anxious to avoid being absorbed into a joint job function with electricians. The three MSF members at Ferbane have so far resisted all attempts at reaching agreement at local level.
Last night, Senator Pat Gallagher of the Labour Party said he was appalled at the news that Ferbane might close. It was imperative for all concerned to use their influence to secure a breakthrough he added.