This article is from page 5 of the 2012-12-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
NEWCO, the working name for the new organisation to manage Shannon Airport and its 2000-acre landbank, will become the engine for growth the mid-west region, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation Richard Bruton has declared. In hailing the new departure for Shannon, Minister Bruton said that the “ambitious” plans for the new independent Shannon Airport structure can be delivered upon thanks to the goodwill of the people in the mid-west.
“Keeping the status quo is not an option,” he revealed, “and we have now created a real opportunity for exciting development.
“It is a very good day for the Shannon region. We are creating a new engine for regional development and it is being built from structures that unfortunately for different reasons were running into extreme difficulties,” added Minister Bruton.
The minister paid tribute to Shannon Development’s record over the past 50 years, but revealed that it was time for change because “the funding model that supported them for so many years has been severely damaged by the property crash”.
“We now have to create new structures that will carry on that work (of Shannon Development).
“I believe that we have in the business plan development and the merged entity, NEWCO, the opportunity to start a new chapter in regional development for Shannon.
“By restructuring the enterprise agencies in the Shannon region we can ensure that indigenous and multinational industry already in the region or considering locating there have access to a comprehensive range of supports.
“By merging a strong independent Shannon Airport with the extensive property holdings, experience and expertise of Shannon Development we will create a strong new State company which will work with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland on developing an International Aviation Services Centre in the region.
“The implementation of these decisions represents a new start for enterprise and jobs in the Shannon region,” added Minister Bruton.
Shannon Passenger
Numbers 2007- 2012 2007 3.62m 2008 3.16m 2009 2.79m 2010 1.75m 2011 1.62m 2012 1.5m