US Ambassador lavishes praise on Shannon

Shannon Airport has been praised by recently appointed US Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin O’Malley for its key role in supporting the continuing and strong US multi-national presence in the West of Ireland.

Speaking on Tuesday, while on an official visit to the airport, where he met members of its executive and board, Ambassador O’Malley said that having a vibrant airport on the western seaboard with direct links to the US is critical for shared prosperity between the region and multi-nationals.

Ambassador O’Malley said, “Literally all of the businesses, the US multi-nationals and those from other countries that are situated in this region, need an airport that can service their connectivity requirements.

“These are large companies doing a great job in Ireland, employing Irish people and participating in helping both sides of the Atlantic share in a great prosperity. Shannon helps sustain that through its transatlantic services as without them there would be no direct access from the US into the West or South coast of Ireland.”

Continuing, the US ambassador said, “I took over as the US ambassador about five weeks ago and we spent the first weeks in Dublin but I wanted to get out to this part of the country as quickly as I could to tell the business community here, including the authority in Shannon, that the US wants to do business.

“It’s a vibrant part of Ireland and is linked with a great deal of prosperity in the US. Anything I can do to increase investment and trade between our two countries, I will do. That is very important to me.”

Shannon Group chief commercial officer, Andrew Murphy said, “We were delighted to welcome Ambassador O’Malley to Shannon. He is no stranger to Shannon as he travelled through here in the past on a number of occasions and understands the special links between this airport and the US.

“Ambassador O’Malley not alone understands Shannon’s key role, as the only airport on the entire Atlantic Seaboard from Donegal down to Cork, in helping to sustain investment between this side of the island and the US but has made it clear he wants to do whatever he can to support that further. We appreciate this very much and look forward to working with him into the future.”