Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

In the early 1990s when the Culliton proposals were being implemented the foreign direct investment, FDI, role was taken from Shannon Development, for the very good reason that it was very hard to explain to companies in north America that one agency in Ireland called Shannon Development was knocking on their door and another agency called IDA Ireland was also knocking on the door from a small island with fewer than 4 million people. The only FDI piece that was left was the zone. The role for supporting indigenous companies was also taken from it and given to Enterprise Ireland or, as it was then known, Forbairt, but it was allowed to continue to do the work on an agency basis. The reality is that supporting indigenous companies will be entirely a matter for Enterprise Ireland and it will not be a matter for Shannon Development. Supporting foreign direct investment is a matter for IDA Ireland with the exception of the zone and with all those changes.

In the context of 2004, we must look at a new role for Shannon Development. The agency has described itself to me as the glue that makes things happen in the region. I agree that it has done so. There are fantastic people on the board and fantastic, committed executives and staff in the organisation. My Department and the board of Shannon Development are seeking to agree a remit for Shannon Development as we go forward so that it is clear what it will be doing. Shannon Development has a major role in tourism, as the Deputy is aware, but it will no longer have a role in supporting indigenous companies, and that is a fundamental change. We were in discussions with Shannon Development on its new role long before the issue of the airport. Shannon Development has been undergoing a process of internal review in the organisation and that is continuing. I hope it will come to a conclusion before the recess, which is only three weeks away, if not sooner.

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