The proposals for the facility in Shannonbridge, Co. Offaly would have seen it fuelled with biomass as well as peat.

The announcement that 148 workers would be laid off was made on July 11 and since then, union representatives and Bord Na Móna have been in talks over the staff losses.

It's over the temporary closure of a power-plant at Lanesboro, Co Longford, which Bord na Móna supplies.

They met local Oireachtas members outside their base in Mount Dillon yesterday.

Bord na Móna has reversed its decision to lay off 70 permanent staff in the midlands, according to Siptu.

Unions will meet Bord na Móna today to discuss major job losses in the Midlands.

More gardaí patrolling the streets of Longford are the only long term solution to the ongoing feud between two factions in the town according to a member of the Garda Representative Association (GRA).

The Irish woman who died in a bus crash in Dubai has been named as Fiona Geraghty from North County Dublin.

A man has died after a serious assault in Longford.

Former TV fitness instructor Francis Usanga has been ordered to carry out 100 hours community service to avoid a five-month jail sentence for punching his former partner.

A legal row has erupted over the contents of a victim impact statement in the sentencing of TV fitness instructor Francis Usanga who was found guilty of attacking his former partner.

TV fitness instructor Francis Usanga has been found guilty of attacking his former partner who told a court she was punched in the face when she confronted him about cheating.

TV fitness guru Francis Usanga has pleaded not guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend and will go on trial in November.

Almost 1,500 jobs in the Midlands could be threatened, if Bord na Móna fails to secure an extension of planning permission for a large power plant near Edenderry, Co Offaly.

A TV fitness guru is facing trial for assaulting his model ex-girlfriend.

Wind and renewable energies make up just 10% of the approximate €210m in subsidies that domestic and commercial electricity customers are forced to pay in their electricity bills to support power plants in this country.

STRUGGLING to find seats to watch the latest blockbuster could become a problem of the past thanks to the brainpower of a group of young Wicklow inventors.

BOG butter found in a timber vessel in a bog at Shancloon near Caherlistrane in north Galway could be 2,000 to 2,500 years old according to a specialist from the National Museum of Ireland.

A BRANCH of the Shannon Protection Alliance has been established in Limerick in an effort to prevent millions of litres of water being extracted from the Shannon river to boost dwindling supplies in the greater Dublin area.

AFTER coming through the coldest winter in living memory, the public will be cynical about the blatant waste of energy – and taxpayers’ money – in public buildings.

Management at Bord na Móna has dismissed claims that 500 jobs are under threat at the company.

The new €240 million West Offaly Power Station at Shannonbridge, the largest peat burning facility of its kind in the world, has been shut down for safety reasons with losses to Bord na Móna of €5 million.

A major garda search continues in county Roscommon this evening, following an attempted robbery at a house earlier today.

Gardaí in the midlands have been involved in a high-speed car chase following what is understood to be a bungled raid in County Roscommon.

A man in his 20s has died after losing control of his car on a road near Lanesboro in Co Roscommon this morning.

HUNDREDS of Turkish workers will protest outside the High Court this morning to call for the publication of a labour inspectors’ report into alleged exploitation of employees by construction company Gama.

Bord na Móna has announced another record year of bumper figures at its AGM today with turnover, profit before reorganisation costs, shareholders' funds, and capital investment increased.

IT’S not all about visibility. Hughie Baxter’s image is everywhere in the North West constituency.

Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen has launched a new power station project at Shannonbridge, Co Offaly this afternoon.

Contracts have been awarded to build two new peat-fired power plants in the midlands.

A young girl suffered serious burns to her face, arms and body today after two explosions rocked her family’s boat as it moored on the river Shannon.

Two people have been taken to hospital after an explosion on board a cruiser on the River Shannon.

The ESB has announced its Rhode peat plant in Co Offaly is to close down.

An Bórd Pleanála has rejected an appeal from environmentalists against the construction of a peat-fired ESB power station in Shannonbridge, Co Offaly.

An Bord Pleanala has rejected an appeal by Friends of the Irish Environment against the construction of a peat-fired ESB power station in Lanesboro, Co Longford.

The ESB’s board of directors has approved the construction of two new peat-fuelled power stations in the midlands.