Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Bill to the House. It is a good Bill for the entirety of the country. It is also particularly good for the mid-west for reasons I hope to outline. The Minister for Finance published the Bill and discussed it in detail last night. He also set out the specific sections which apply to the aviation sector. Plans for an international aviation services centre were key to the Government's decision to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority at the end of 2012. An independent Shannon Airport, combined with the landmark establishment of Shannon Development, could conservatively generate between 3,000 and 3,500 new direct jobs over the next five years according to the Government-appointed task force which reported towards the end of last year. This jobs figure is separate to the construction jobs which would revolve around growing air traffic at the airport and establishing the aviation sector centre. The aviation business development task force was led by Rose Hynes, who has since become the chairperson of the airport. The task force concluded that an independent airport combined with a land bank could be successful and sustainable and contribute significantly to the economic development of the mid-west. I believe the Finance Bill is further proof of the Government's support for aviation generally in the country, which will be of particular benefit to Shannon Airport as it seeks to establish itself as an independent entity.

The Finance Bill provides for an amendment to the definition of industrial buildings whereby industrial buildings allowances will apply to hangers, tear-down pads, parking and ancillary facilities for a period of five years from the commencement of the legislation, while the construction of new aviation-specific facilities such as hangers and tear-down pads will enjoy an accelerated capital allowance over ten years. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, stated these measures are designed to attract additional aviation sector businesses and jobs to Ireland, and to encourage Irish and overseas businesses already located here to expand their operations. Although these initiatives were initially proposed by the Shannon aviation business development task force, they will be made available to all airports in the State. Nevertheless, I hope Shannon Airport will be able to avail of these measures and I am confident it will.

As somebody from east Clare, I spent a considerable amount of time in Limerick city when I was growing up, it being the major city for the mid-west. The increasing dereliction of Limerick city is a source of considerable disappointment to all of us in the mid-west. It is very hard to attract tourists to an area with increasing dereliction. One of the Government's first acts was to combine Limerick City Council with Limerick County Council, and this is beneficial because for decades the rates base of Limerick city was being undermined by Limerick County Council. This has now stopped. I am pleased to see an initiative in the Finance Bill, which applies not only to Limerick city but also to Waterford, whereby owners and occupiers - it is important to point out it is also occupiers - of Georgian buildings in Limerick, which is a very beautiful Georgian city, will be able to avail of tax reliefs to repair buildings. I greatly welcome this. It is not a developer-led type of initiative, which was so favoured by the previous Government and which contributed so much to the economic ruin the Government inherited. It is occupier-led so people who live in these buildings will be able to avail of it to ensure the buildings are repaired to their former glory and contribute to what is a unique architectural heritage on the island.

I again commend the Bill to the House.

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