A New Economic And Tourism Development Plan Targets Shannon

The Government undertook to prepare a Plan for the Mid West in response to the EU-US "Open Skies" Air Transport Agreement.

Minister Dempsey said "There is very significant investment planned for the region under the NDP and Transport 21. In transport infrastructure alone €2 billion has been committed by Government to road projects in the region while approval for the development of the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Athenry has also been given."

Minister Brennan said an important element of the Action Plan is a new tourism-marketing initiative for the area. "This initiative amounts to an anticipated €15 to €20 million over the next few years and will be implemented by Tourism Ireland in close consultation with key tourism industry interests in the area, Shannon Development and the Fáilte Ireland Regions. The continuing commitment to funding beyond 2008 will, as is the case with all tourism marketing plans, be finalised in the roll out of this new initiative each year. The primary objective of the initiative will be to promote the wider catchment area of Shannon Airport by highlighting the attractions of the region through additional publicity and promotional activity."

Minister Brennan added: "Under the 2008 Estimates of my Department an extra €5 million has been invested in the Tourism Marketing Fund, bringing it to €50 million. This includes incremental funding of €3 million to specifically address the challenges of Open Skies in 2008. When combined with the renewal of the Superregions and Air Access marketing initiatives, the result will be €5 million for the Shannon Catchment Area in Tourism Ireland's 2008 overseas marketing programme. The new tourism marketing programme will concentrate on highlighting the attractions of the Western regions, additional targeted publicity and promotional activity, developing markets around new gateways, including the Shannon-Paris CDG route, and striving to maintain good flows of business through existing routes."

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has made capital investments of the order of €100m in Shannon Airport in the last ten years. In 2007 alone DAA spent €9m in capital expenditure in Shannon and a further €40m for the recent restructuring plan, which involved a radical overhaul of the airport's cost base to enable it to meet the challenges of the future. Separately, the Department has been in discussions with the US authorities on the introduction of full pre clearance facilities for US bound passengers from Shannon Airport. The matter is receiving priority from the Minister and Government.

The continued rollout of broadband infrastructure throughout the region at a cost of €13 million is also reaffirmed under the Plan.