As reported in the Limerick Post last week, one option raised for the airport was to lease it to a private consortium for a period of up to 35 years.
THE chairman of the board of Shannon Airport has confirmed that it has offered its views to the Minister for Transport on the possibility of privatising the airport.
And in a letter to local media, chairman, Brian O’Connell, has warned that the airport cannot go on doing business as it has before.
In the letter, Mt OConnell said that in June of this year, the Shannon Airport Authority board received a communication from the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadker, seeking their views in relation to a number of points.
“Among these were the feasibility and desirability of restructuring Shannon as an independent airport, the privatisation or part privatisation of the airport with the government retaining a strategic shareholding and the role of the SAA board if separation is not a viable option,” he said.
“Since receiving the Minister’s communication, we as a Board have held a number of meetings and discussions, addressing the real challenges that exist in the aviation industry both globally and nationally at this point in time.
“It is clear that the ways in which we have organised and managed business in the past have to change to take into account the reality of present and future market challenges,” Mr O’Connell said.
“It is no longer sustainable for any business to continue in a loss-making mode. Every business, including Shannon Airport must reconfigure itself and re-engineer its future in the light of the dramatically changed landscape”.
The letter said that since being appointed, the Board has focused on supporting the management team to “prioritise, sustain and develop the business operations at Shannon Airport.
“As a Board we are very mindful that Shannon Airport is, and should continue to be, a powerful driver of current and future economic vitality in the whole west of Ireland region if it is adequately capitalised and superbly managed.”
As reported in the Limerick Post last week, one option raised for the airport was to lease it to a private consortium for a period of up to 35 years.
This option caused concern that the priority of the airport would be fast profit for investors ahead of the needs of development and economic growth in the region as a whole.
Mr O’Connell did not say in his letter whether the Board had given its recommendation to such an option.
