Fine Gael TD for Limerick Patrick O’Donovan has welcomed the introduction of the Bill dealing with Shannon Airport to the Dáil saying it was a “Historic milestone for Shannon and the entire Mid West Region.”
Patrick O’Donovan who is a member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee said that the Bill, which gives Shannon Airport independence from the other State Airports is one of the most important pieces of transport legislation for some years and will he said, have huge implications for the Mid west. The Bill establishes Shannon Airport as an independent company and transfers the lands which were owned by Shannon Development to a new company called Shannon Group.
The Limerick Deputy said that the establishment of the Shannon Group means that the new company will have the job of promoting the use of lands that were owned by Shannon Development for job creation. He told the Dáil that Shannon Development owned large amounts of land across Co. Limerick and he would be seeking assurances from the Minister that regular reports would be published on the progress being made to have the lands used for job creation.
The Government decision to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport came as passenger numbers had fallen by 60% during the period of the last Government. Patrick O’Donovan told Deputies that while the numbers of people using Shannon fell from 3.6million to 1.4 million, the previous Government made no effort to give Shannon independence, something he said which severely impacted on the economy of Limerick and the Mid West. However when Fine Gael entered Government the decision was made early to move towards giving Shannon its independence and since then passenger numbers are on the way back up.
Patrick O’Donovan paid tribute to the Board, Management and Staff of Shannon Airport and said that they had now an even greater challenge with an industrial development role. He also said that the political leadership in the region being provided by the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan had been key to arriving at the day when Shannon would be given its independence and he said that this and similar initiatives aimed at promoting the Mid West, and in particular Limerick City and County were down to Michael Noonan. The VAT reduction for the hospitality industry and the abolition of the travel tax had all been introduced by Minister Noonan and Patrick O’Donovan said he was confident that similar measures aimed at promoting the region would follow in the near future.