Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
247. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to formally acknowledge the contribution and impact made by Shannon Development during its 55 years of work in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19062/14]
View answerShannon Development was set up as Shannon Free Airport Development Company by the Government in 1959 to promote the airport and region. Over the last 55 years the staff and management of Shannon Development have made a very considerable contribution to the growth and success of the Mid West Region. The enactment of the State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill will establish Shannon Group Plc. Shannon Development and Shannon Airport Authority Plc will become subsidiaries of Shannon Group Plc. Shannon Castle Banquets and Heritage Limited (trading as Shannon Heritage) remain a subsidiary of Shannon Development and therefore also becomes a subsidiary of Shannon Group. A restructured Shannon Development will be renamed Shannon Commercial Enterprises Limited to reflect its new mandate.
Shannon Group Plc will comprise four strategic business units focused on delivering economic benefits for the west of Ireland and the wider national economy. It will combine the property ownership and management activities of Shannon Development together with the activities of Shannon Heritage, Shannon Airport and an International Aviation Services Centre (IASC). The vision for Shannon Group Plc is for a revitalised Shannon Airport encompassing not only the airport and its airline activities but also a broad-based aviation industry cluster centred on the airport and on the adjacent Shannon Free Zone lands. IASC will work to establish a globally recognised and internationally competitive aviation industry cluster at Shannon, building on the 40 aviation companies who have already chosen Shannon as their preferred base.
