The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE ‘Shannon Bill’ passed through the Seanad this week and has been welcomed by Shannon Airport Chairman Rose Hynes. The Bill will now be presented to President Michael D Higgins for signing, leading to its enactment into law.
The Bill will pave the way for the formal establishment of Shannon Group, which will combine the now independent Shannon Airport, with the property ownership and management activities of Shannon Commercial Enterprises Limited, as well as Shannon Heritage and the International Aviation Services Centre (IASC), which builds on the aviation related activities already located at the Airport and in the Free Zone area.
As it passed through the Seanad on Tuesday, Shannon Senator Tony Mulcahy welcomed the new legislation and launched an attack on Fianna Fáil at the same time.
“Deputy (Timmy) Dooley said we would need a €5 million bung every year for five years to keep the scheme going. This is not true and the scaremongering must come to an end. The right thing is being done for Shannon Airport. It made a profit of €149,000 last year, despite cleaning up another mess in Shannon Development and getting rid of that agency, which was serving no function,
” The industrial estate, along with the airport is beginning to recover. Between 600 and 800 jobs are currently being advertised on the industrial estate and I have no doubt that in seven or eight years there will be up to 8,000 jobs available be cause we have made the right decision.
“Shannon will be set free from the clutches of the Dublin Airport Authority and the messing of Fianna Fáil. It is over,” Senator Mulcahy declared.
