Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Government's decision to proceed with the legislation currently before the House. It has significant implications for my constituency, where a substantial landbank in County Limerick will be transferred to Shannon Group from what was Shannon Development. Our aspiration is that Shannon Group would, under the Minister's guidance and assistance, encourage the use of this landbank into the future. It is regrettable that it took so long for Shannon Airport to be separated from the Dublin Airport Authority, but it is better late than never. Shannon Airport experienced 14 years of continuous decline during which passenger numbers almost halved. In fairness to its new chairperson, Ms Rose Hynes, and the chief executive officer, Mr. Neil Pakey, it has turned a corner. My concern, from a Limerick perspective, is that the landbank to which I have referred and the broader asset base which is considerable and spread across the county should receive the same level of attention from the CEO and the chairperson. I realise they have other priorities, but I would like to see the focus moving to a consideration of how the asset base and landbank could make the airport even more viable.

See this speech in context