The company said 80pc of its operations now focus on renewable energy production, recycling, peatland rehabilitation and sustainable product development.
Deepening its plan to become a greener company, Bord na Móna is adding 1,435 jobs to the midlands.
Around 1,100 of the roles are being generated directly by Bord na Móna, while 335 will be created through partnerships with third-party companies.
According to RTÉ, 550 of these roles have already been created over the last 18 months, with a further 885 jobs expected over the next five years. The roles include 300 construction jobs with the rest being high-tech and professional roles.
At the beginning of this year, the company confirmed that it had formally ended all peat harvesting on its lands, having been gradually worn down over the previous two years.
As part of its green strategy, Bord na Móna plans to have developed wind, solar and other assets capable of supplying around one-third of all Irish homes with renewable energy by 2030. It also plans to be a leading collection and recycling business in Ireland within the next decade.
The new positions will help the company as it develops “renewable energy, recycling infrastructure and carbon storage through peatland rehabilitation”.
“80pc of all Bord na Móna’s operations is now focused on renewable energy production, recycling, peatland rehabilitation, and sustainable product development,” the company said.
Speaking at the jobs announcement at Cloncreen wind farm in Co Offaly, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, said the world has changed dramatically since Bord na Móna was established and the climate emergency has become a major challenge.
“Building on its rich legacy, Bord na Móna has reinvented itself to meet that challenge with the continued development of over 1,400 climate solutions jobs.”
Bord na Móna’s chief executive Tom Donnellan said the new roles will not merely be replacing old jobs but will become 21st-century jobs.
“Bord na Móna’s transformation shows that people and planet can both win in the coming decades,” he said.
Last September, the semi-State said that it was seeking to raise €1.6bn to fund a series of renewable energy projects.
It also launched its Peatlands Restoration Plan, which aims to convert Ireland’s peatlands from fossil fuel sources to large-scale carbon capture sites.
This plan is expected to secure employment for 350 employees who were previously engaged in peat harvesting activities.
