This article is from page 12 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 12 JPG
THE delay in the final roll out of Shannon’s independence from the Dublin Airport Authority could see the airport stripped bare as passenger numbers and services plummet further, a key Clare County Council committee has warned this week.
At a special meeting of the council’s Strategic Policy Committee for Community and Enterprise, Tourism and Emergency Services, a number of councillors voiced their concerns about the potential vacuum between the announcement and implementation of a new independent Shannon structure.
“I would like more urgency put into this,” said Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind). “I’d be scared that this steering group could go on and on for an awful long time. We need to make decisions to put things in place for 2013.
“I’d be afraid that if this thing goes on that the airport would end up like a carcass and the DAA would be picking things off it and you’d be left with nothing only bones. We have to move on fast,” he added.
This concern was echoed by a number of councillors, who criticised what they called the “limbo” that Shannon finds itself in ahead of the appointment of the steering committee to spearhead the Government decision to separate Shannon for DAA control.
“It’s only an announcement. We are in limbo long enough – we’re still in limbo,” said Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind).
“We have been left in limbo for long enough,” agreed Cllr Richard Nagle, who is chairman of the SPC.
“Shannon Airport has been in a straight jacket where it continues to decline. This does give an opportunity for a new beginning. I do think it is imperative for the county that we get clarity and that decisions are made quickly.
“If the steering committee isn’t put in place until the end of the year, where does that leave Shannon? The board of the airport authority (SAA) doesn’t have the power to make decisions at the moment regarding Shannon, because it’s still under the DAA,” added Cllr Nagle.
“It is a step in the right direction,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG), “but only a step and it is time we went from stepping into marching.
“We will be competing with Dublin and Cork for business.
“We are left in limbo and one of our competitors (Dublin Airport) has ownership of our competition (Cork Airport). We are going to find ourselves very much on the hind tit,” he added.
“I have concerns,” said Mayor of Ennis, Michael Guilfoyle (Ind). “Is Minister Varadkar just announcing this just for the sake of it, to get people positive thinking by the people of Clare and the mid-west area three weeks before the referendum. Something more positive should be coming and more direction should be given to us.
“At the minute, we are going around in circles,” he added.
“There would be a number of concerns,” admitted Clare County Council Director of Services, Ger Dollard.
“The biggest concern would be the timescale. What arrangements will be put in place short term before the airport begins to exercise its independent role?
“There are wider concerns about how the IDA, Failte Ireland and Enterprise Ireland will take on Shannon Development’s role. Clarity is needed quite quickly on how that is going to happen.
“However, there are a lot of positives, particularly in relation to independence, the fact that it will remain in public ownership and the fact that the airport will be debt-free, so there are a lot of positives.
“The county council with its own County Cevelopment Plan has been very strong in relation to Shannon Airport and in particular the development of airport lands. We particularly welcome the idea of a final services centre type model built around aviation at the airport,” Mr Dollard added.