This article is from page 11 of the 2012-05-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
A CLARE Government TD has said he believes that Shannon Development can successfully run Shannon Airport if it is given the right resources and expertise, and raised concerns about its future if it is leased to the private sector.
Deputy Michael McNamara (Lab) said, “On the decision of management, there is no reason why Shannon Development should not take over the role if the required expertise is brought in.”
While welcoming the decision of the Government to create an independent Shannon Airport, he raised concerns that there were still a lot of questions about its future.
The Labour TD said that while the airport and land bank assets will remain in public ownership, we don’t know if the new entity will ultimately be franchised to a semi-state or a private company.
“The operator needs to be reputable with a proven track record in the airport and aviation business. I do not believe that Shannon should be handed over on a long lease to oligarchs, no matter how tempting this might seem in terms of a quick-fix solution,” he said.
The Clare TD said that whoever takes over the airport couldn’t be allowed to run it down like the Dublin Airport Authority had been doing for the last number of years.
He said he also broadly supported the decision to restructure the enter- prise support agencies in the Shannon region.
Deputy McNamara said we would have to await the recommendations of the steering group to report to Cabinet before we have a clear picture of the new Shannon entity and how it proposes to develop the airport and the region.
He added that, while a quick-fix solution was not the answer, a solution had to be made quickly, “particularly if a new management structure is to be put in place in time to go out and compete for the 2013 tourism season”.
“By September 2011, most decisions on routes for 2012 were made and a tourism plan was in place. Minds must be focused quickly on the issue,’ he said.