Ireland’s Shannon Estuary could be an economic powerhouse
A Shannon Estuary Economic Taksforce has been formed to scope out jobs and opportunities for the talent-rich region.
It will produce a report, specifying the actions which can be taken to create jobs and opportunities in the region by October of this year.
“The Shannon Estuary has the people, connectivity and natural resources to become an economic powerhouse”
The Shannon Estuary region is the gateway to Ireland’s mid-west and already through decades of work by Shannon Development, the location of Shannon Airport, a strong university ecosystem and many surrounding businesses, it is a thriving economic hub for Ireland.
The region has attracted numerous tech, aviation and finance multinationals including Dell, Uber, Intel, GE, Zimmer, Lufthansa, Element Six and Jaguar Land Rover, to name a few.
Unlocking potential
The purpose of the Taskforce is to find ways to unlock the potential of the region even further.
“The Shannon Estuary has the people, connectivity and natural resources to become an economic powerhouse,” said Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, TD.
“There is huge potential for economic development and job creation in the region, in areas such as wind, hydrogen and solar energy for example. The newly established Technological University of the Shannon will add to the talent pool and research and development capacity of the area, providing the skills and innovation needed for the region to exploit new and exciting opportunities.
“Since the foundation of the State, the Shannon Estuary has a proud history of leading industrial development; Ardnacrusha, Shannon Airport, Moneypoint, the Shannon Free Zone and the growth in industry we’ve seen in and around Limerick City as well as the development of UL. Now we must look ahead to the future. This group will help us set out the economic vision for the estuary for the next 20-30 years.
“The Taskforce will look at what makes the Shannon Estuary unique, how can it make the most of its position, resources and strategic advantage. It will examine the important sites, the region’s infrastructural and investment needs and specify the actions required from national and local government, as well as from other stakeholders, to exploit those areas of potential.
“This is a relatively quick piece of work. We are opening the call for expressions of interest for membership to the Taskforce today and expect a report back by October of this year. I look forward to receiving it and encourage those interested to get involved and apply now,” Varadkar said.
Core task and functions of Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce
- To fulfil the commitment in the Programme for Government, the Terms of Reference for the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce are to:
- Assess the strategic strengths and comparative advantages of the Shannon Estuary from an investment and enterprise development perspective, in a national and international context;
- Scope potential areas of opportunity for the Shannon Estuary and specify policy and investment requirements to exploit those areas of potential;
- Assess the current connectivity of the region and make recommendations as to how this could be enhanced;
- Specify the actions required from national and local government, as well as from other stakeholders, to exploit those areas of potential; and
- Produce a Report and associated Action Plan with specific steps in areas of potential.
