LEGISLATION will be published before the end of the year to allow Enterprise Ireland and the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) take over planning and development of the Shannon Free Zone after Government agreement was secured by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD this week. The move is seen as the first step in a plan announced in May that aims to create a new world-class aviation industry at Shannon.
Central to that plan was the decision to merge Shannon Airport and Shannon Development into a new entity and to transfer Shannon Development’s functions in relation to indigenous enterprise and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Shannon Free Zone to Enterprise Ireland and the IDA.
Part of the reforms previously announced was to task IDA and Enterprise Ireland with carrying out enterprise development functions in the Shannon Free Zone, in addition to their existing enterprise development functions throughout the Shannon region. In addition, the agencies will develop a plan for the delivery of enterprise supports in the Shannon region.
In order to deliver this it is necessary to remove a restriction contained in the Industrial Development Act 1986. The Government this week agreed to the drafting of new legislation to remove this restriction.
Last June, Minister Bruton and Transport Minister Leo Varadkar announced the composition of three separate groups to oversee the break-up of Shannon Development and Shannon Airport’s progress to autonomy as a commercial state-owned enterprise.
The change management task force which is chaired by John Fitzgerald, former Dublin city manager and a native of Galbally, was given responsibility for examining the merger of the new company with parts of Shannon Development.
The aviation business development task force led by Bord Gais chairwoman and Clare native Rose Hynes has been assessing Government’s plans to make Shannon a global hub for aeronautics and aviation services.
Both of the task forces are reporting to a steering group comprised of seven senior civil servants who will in turn make recommendations to the two ministers. It is expected that this part of the process will be completed by the end of the year.
Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Minister Richard Bruton who secured Government support for the new Shannon strategy.
