This article is from page 14 of the 2012-03-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
CLARE County Council is to begin negotiations with its counterpart in Limerick and Shannon Development to explore the feasability of taking over the management of Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority.
This move was heralded at a special meeting of the local authority’s Special Policy Committee on Tourism and Enterprise on Monday, which came together to discuss the publication of the censored Booz and Company report on the future of Clare’s international airport.
County Council Director of Service, Ger Dollard; Mayor of Clare, Pat Hayes; Mayor of Ennis Michael Guilfoyle all backed the move to open up discussions between the key stakeholders in the region that the Booz and Company consultants say should take responsibility for running Shannon.
The move was sparked by Cllr Joe Arkins (FG), who questioned whether “any contacts, formally or informally, had been made with the other proposed stakeholders – Limerick County Council and Shannon Development.
“It would be advisable that you make contact with them, in order that Clare County Council might be able to find out what the position of Shannon Development and Limerick County Council is, or if there is an agreed position between all the stakeholders,” added Cllr Arkins.
“I would agree with Cllr Arkins,” said Cllr Richard Nagle, who is chairman of the SPC on Tourism and Enterprise. “There has to be consultation with the other bodies,” he added.
“We have had disjointed approach over the years. We haven’t fought a good battle as a region,” said Mayor of Clare, Pat Hayes.
“The decision that’s made has to be in the long term future of Shannon Airport because the west of Ireland is very much at risk if we don’t get it right,” he added.
“I’d be concerned that Limerick didn’t make a submission,” said Mayor of Ennis, Michael Guilfloyle.
“We haven’t have had any discussions since the report was published,” admitted Ger Dollard. “I presume the next step will be for the Minister and the Government to decide what option that we should pursue on foot of the report,” he added before it was agreed that negotiations with the other stakeholders would be kickstarted immediately.