SPECULATION is rife that Denis Brosnan is to chair the soon- to- be announced steering group that will determine the future of Shannon Airport and Shannon Development. It has been claimed that the business tycoon met with potential members of the new committee at a Shannon hotel, suggesting that he will have an involvement in determining the new organisational structure of the airport and the agency. Mr Brosnan is founder of the Kerry Group and chair of the Mid West Task Force, the Limerick Local Government Committee, Horse Racing Ireland and former chair of Kerry Airport.
Five civil servants will be on the steering body, which will include an aviation subgroup and a future growth subgroup.
According to one insider, while the airport’s €100 million debt has been parked, the steering committee will have to find investment of at least €30 million euro to upgrade facilities, with the main runway needing particular attention.
Shannon Development’s indigenous enterprise and foreign direct investment functions are to be transferred to Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, but the exact structure and effect on employment at the agency will be determined by the steering group.
A spokesperson for the agency said it expects to wait a number of weeks for further instruction from government.
Cllr Sean McLoughlin told the Limerick Post that reaction had been very positive at the separation of the airport from the DAA, but further details were anxiously awaited.
“I met with Leo Varadkar and he guaranteed me that the new structure will have taken over by the end of the year.
“In the meantime the Shannon Airport Authority remains in place”.
He added that a positive for Shannon, and which he believes has been overlooked, is that a new lower tax incentive for aviation industry will be introduced for the region.
“It will no doubt attract international companies and create jobs”.
The councillor also believes that the removal of the responsibility of Shannon Development to attract investment will be a positive.
“When Mary Harney was Minister for Enterprise she removed the budget to attract investment from Shannon Development and now that it will be in the hands of Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, it will surely be a good thing.
“Shannon Development will be landlords and will generate funding to back up the airport”.
