County manager cites role in airport fund

CLARE County Council is set to be involved in the new airline route development fund, which was announced by Shannon Development last week.

“Clare County Council made a submission to Booz and Co on the future of Shannon Airport and that submission was based on a partnership model, with the local authorities and the agencies working together in the interests of the region and the interests of the airport,” Clare county manager, Tom Coughlan, said this week.
“Since making that submission, I’ve had a number of discussions at local authority and agency level about establishing a fund, which would be available for the development of airport-related activities. There is agreement in principle to the establishment of such a fund but that agreement is subject to the detail of such a partnership arrangement being agreed. If Clare County Council were to contribute public monies, there would have to be clear and accountable procedures in place for the use of those monies.”
It is understood certain agencies were stunned when Shannon Development made an announcement regarding the creation of the fund last week but Mr Coughlan declined to comment on the timing of this announcement. He did say he felt the creation of the fund would show that there is a strong commitment to Shannon. “I think it sends a clear message that the authorities in the region have a commitment to the airport and would prove the submission made by the council on the future of the airport would be implemented. The present position is that the procedures and structures for the establishment of such a fund will be drafted for consideration of the local authority members.”
Mr Coughlan declined to say who was involved in the talks. “There were a number of agencies and local authorities as well. I wouldn’t like to divulge exactly whom we’ve been talking to. We’ll launch the fund when it is in place but as of now, we’re seeking to agree the procedures and structures for such a fund.”
While a figure of 150,000 new passengers was bandied about last week, Mr Coughlan said it is too early to make any such calculation. “It would depend on how the fund would be applied and, as of yet, there isn’t a plan for how it will be utilised.
“For example, if it were used to attract further carriers in, that obviously would lead to an increase in numbers at the airport but that would depend on where the carrier was coming from, the aircraft size and market conditions. It’s very difficult to say it would generate a specific amount of passengers, we can’t really do that until we get into the detail of the fund and how it will be applied,” he concluded.