As the House is aware, a number of recent developments will impact on the mid-west region and the State agencies located there. Some 1,210 staff from Departments and State agencies will be decentralised from Dublin to the mid-west region. The headquarters of Enterprise Ireland will be moved to Shannon, affecting 300 of the agency's Dublin based staff. It has been agreed that the management of Shannon town should be transferred from Shannon Development and vested in Clare County Council. The Minister for Transport's proposal to establish an independent Shannon Airport authority, which is supported by the board of Shannon Development, is also important in this context. In the light of the changed circumstances, I met the chairman, some members of the board of Shannon Development and the chief executive of the company on several occasions to explain and expand on matters under consideration. I asked the board to bring forward detailed proposals in respect of the role Shannon Development can play in the future development of the region and this discussion is ongoing. I am aware of concerns expressed by trade unions, companies in the region and other interested parties. I wish to stress my commitment to the future of Shannon and the mid-west region as a whole. I am concerned to ensure that we put in place the most sensible and efficient structures and that we manage the region's most valuable and strategic assets to optimise their benefit for the entire region.
