Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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198. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on negotiations between Government and Clare County Council on the transfer of the Clare Shannon Heritage assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3703/23]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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201. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of a funding offer made in December 2022 to Clare County Council in relation to the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage Clare-based sites to the local authority; if any subsequent funding proposal will be forthcoming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4113/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 201 together.

I would like to thank the Deputies for these questions.

Government appreciates the important role of Shannon Heritage to the economy of the Midwest region and, in terms of Ireland’s built heritage, recognises that the heritage sites operated by Shannon Heritage are of intrinsic historical and cultural value.

As the Deputies are aware, the Department of Transport established an inter-departmental working group on the transfer of Shannon Heritage in May 2022.  Representatives from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Office of Public Works, and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media participate in this group.  

To date, the working group has met five times, most recently on 23 January, and has identified a number of ways the transfer could be supported.  My department is continuing to engage with relevant departments across Government and with the Shannon Airport Group and Clare County Council with the aim of facilitating the transfer as soon as possible. 

I would like to assure the Deputies that Government recognises the importance of these heritage sites to the mid-west region and believes that the transfer of the Shannon Heritage business and heritage sites will safeguard the interests of Shannon Heritage employees and the long-term viability and success of the business. Government will continue to support the Shannon Airport Group to ensure that the transfer can proceed as planned.