Joe Carey
Question:69. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update in the Shannon aviation services centre Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15039/13]
View answerWednesday, 27 March 2013
Questions (69, 73)
Pat Breen
Question:73. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the establishment of the international aviation services centre at Shannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15036/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 73 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, Shannon Airport was separated from the Dublin Airport Authority on 31 December last and the assets and business of the airport were transferred from the DAA to the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA). My Department continues to work with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the Heads of the new Bill to provide for the merger of the airport with a restructured Shannon Development in a new, commercial, State-owned entity and this legislation will be advanced during the first half of this year. When the Heads of the Bill are ready, they will be referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport for their consideration prior to drafting. It is my hope, subject to enactment of the Bill, that the new Shannon entity could be established mid-year, although I appreciate that this will be challenging. It will then be a matter for the new entity to proceed with the development and expansion of the aviation services centre in Shannon. In January, I appointed Rose Hynes as Chairman of the SAA and in that context I expect her to take on the role of Chairman designate for the NewCo which is in the process of being established. More recently, I have made four further appointments to the board of the SAA, including two employee representatives nominated by ICTU. A process to recruit a Chief Executive for the Shannon Airport Authority and the new Shannon entity (NewCo) is also currently under way.
The Steering Group comprising representatives of the Department of Finance, Public Expenditure and Report, Environment, Community and Local Government, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and my Department is meeting on a regular basis to oversee the implementation of the Government decision in all its elements.