SHANNON Airport’s separation from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), has received a wide welcome locally.
On this Wednesday, Minister Leo Varadkar confirmed plans for the restructuring of enterprise support agencies in the Shannon region to form a new entity with a commercial mandate in public ownership.
It is to be free of net debt.
A drive to develop a world-class aviation industry in Shannon will get underway, accompanied by a restructuring of tourism and enterprise support agencies.
Shannon is to have a clear mandate to develop the aviation sector and to explore other opportunities for the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to further prospective investments in the region.
“We want to recapture the pioneering spirit of the people who gave us the airport and the Shannon Free Zone concept, so that we can provide exciting and innovative opportunities which benefit business, tourism, and job creation in the region, and across the country,” said the minister.
Mayor Jim Long is pleased that Shannon is to become an independent airport.
“We should sit down with the tour operators and tackle this with the same verve and enthusiasm as the leaders in Shannon had when they were setting up the Shannon Industrial Estate”.
However, a spokesperson for Shannon Development warned the move creates implications for their economic development operations.
“We will work closely with the various government departments to get clarification for staff and clients around the decision”.
Minister Jan O’Sullivan said that while responsibility for job creation and tourism support will transfer to the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Failte Ireland, they must not impact negatively on the Mid West”.
Former member of the Shannon airport Authority, Tadhg Kearney, expressed reservations about the transfer of Shannon from the DAA becoming a reality.
“This is a statement of principle but flesh has to be put on the skeleton – no new board for the airport has yet been set up”.
Deputy Kieran O’Donnell says there is now a a clear focus on developing the full potential of the aviation industry in Shannon.
Meanwhile, Ryanair has criticised the Government’s failure to sell Shannon Airport to the private sector, who, they claim, would invest in and grow the airport for the benefit of the mid-west region.
“Transferring Shannon from one failed semi-state, the DAA, to another, SFADCO, means that there will be no real change or reform nor radical cost reduction or efficiencies, but rather lots of continuing political interference and bureaucratic mismanagement”.
