Tag Archives: Free Zone

AROUND 300 people will be accommodated at the new centre for refugee accommodation in the Shannon Free Zone, it has now emerged. While the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth had been very reluctant to reveal any details about their Shannon plans, in a statement which was passed onto Clare TD Cathal Crowe it said, “The Department is working with the OPW to develop proposals/design to use a state owned property in Shannon Free Zone to accommodate circa 300 International Protection Applicants. This engagement is ongoing and final details will be disclosed when designs and contract with a provider to operate the facility is finalised. Timelines are indicative but it is anticipated that the property will come online later in the year.” The information was provided to Deputy Crowe only after he made an official complaint to the Ceann Comhairle’s office, around the Department’s decision not to share information with elected representatives.

THIS week saw the start of work on a new €6 million-euro commercial property development on the Shannon Campus. The multi-million-euro investment will see the development of a 40,000 sq. ft. research and development technology facility suitable for manufacturing, industrial and R&D needs, for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) or Irish enterprises. This development is the third major construction project to be undertaken this year by the Shannon Airport Group and is expected to generate up to 70 jobs during the construction phase. Since the beginning of this year, the Shannon Airport Group has already committed a total of €18 million in developing property solutions. The new building will be located at the main entrance to the Free Zone. It will include two floors of office space, a high bay production and manufacturing area, and 56 onsite dedicated parking spaces. Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine said: “We are committed to supplying quality property solutions that attract indigenous and FDI investment …

HOME to over 100 companies and with more than 7,000 employees working there, Shannon Free Zone is one of the largest clusters of indigenous industry outside of Dublin. This week, former senator and county councillor Tony Mulcahy said he feels things are going in the right direction but local Councillor Gerry Flynn has far more reservations about what has been happening there. “Smithstown is full, you can’t get a place to park. There are a good few units available in the industrial estate but a lot of what is there is not great. That is a legacy issue, it wouldn’t exactly be a State secret. They have applied to build new units. The top two bays at the industrial estate have been flattened now, they are in for planning there for office space and small industry,” said Mr Mulcahy. He said, at the moment, because of a lack of improvements over a number of years, Shannon is not in a …

By Owen Ryan FIFTY new jobs are coming to Shannon as Pepper has announced it will create the positions at its servicing centre in Westpark. The company has invested €500,000 in expanding its premises and the additional space would provide capacity for another 30 workers after 50 are recruited. There are currently 120 people working there. Pepper has signed an addendum to its existing ten year lease which will see its office space increased to 19,000 square feet. This follows a €2 million investment in new systems and office facilities undertaken last year. The new jobs will be in mortgage arrears handling, customer service, real estate expertise and legal expertise. News of the jobs comes a week after Zimmer confirmed it has taken on 30 new staff since the start of the year in Shannon. Paul Doddrell, CEO of Pepper Ireland said the significant change to the lease terms is due to a requirement to facilitate its rapidly expanding operation. …