Changes being contemplated with regard to the role of Shannon Development are consistent with and arise primarily as a result of the Government decision to decentralise the headquarters of Enterprise Ireland, involving 300 of that agency's Dublin-based staff, to Shannon. At present, Shannon Development performs a range of functions on a delegated authority basis for Enterprise Ireland and it has been decided, in light of decentralisation, that these functions should revert to Enterprise Ireland. This is an entirely practical development as it would make little sense to have two agencies in the same location performing the same functions. The decision, which is fully supported by the board of Shannon Development, will result in the transfer of the Shannon Development staff engaged on these functions to Enterprise Ireland.
Second, it has been agreed that the management of Shannon town should be transferred from Shannon Development and vested in Clare County Council. Again, this is a decision that has been made on practical grounds and both Shannon Development and Clare County Council are in agreement.
The proposal by the Minister for Transport, which is again supported by the board of Shannon Development, to establish an independent Shannon Airport authority is also important in this context. Without an independent and viable Shannon Airport, the task of guaranteeing the entire region's continued attractiveness as a tourist destination and as a location for investment would be made considerably more difficult. In that regard, one of the options under consideration is to transfer the assets of the Shannon Free Zone to the new airport authority. While no decision has been taken on this issue, the transfer of the assets would mean no change to either the status of the zone or its attractiveness as an investment location.
In the light of these 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. At the meetings, I also asked the board to bring forward detailed proposals in regard to the role that Shannon Development can play in the future development of the region and this discussion is ongoing.
I am committed to the future of Shannon and the mid-west region as a whole. My concern is to ensure that we put in place the most sensible and efficient structures and manage the region's most valuable and strategic assets so as to optimise their benefit for the entire region.
