Shannon Development job numbers improve

Shannon Development, which is to lose its enterprise support functions to Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, will today announce a small net gain in the number of jobs it supported in 2005.

The regional development agency supported sales of €4.4 billion in 2004 - €3 billion of which were exports. This year's figures are expected to be slightly better than those in 2004, reversing a trend in previous years.

The improved job numbers are being seen as a result of investment in the knowledge-based economy.

However, under a restructuring announced last July by Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, today's results are likely to be the last - at least in terms of job creation.

Under the new arrangements, Shannon Development will manage its industrial property including the Shannon Free Zone industrial estate and Ireland's first science and technology park in Limerick but the other State agencies will concentrate on job creation.

While Shannon Development will continue to manage the Shannon Free Zone, its promotion will be assumed by IDA Ireland

Mr Martin said Shannon Development should concentrate on development strategies for the poorer areas within the Shannon region. Exactly how the agency can best advance the poorer regions without enterprise functions is currently being assessed by the agency.

Mr Martin also said that Shannon Development would be required to work closely with the national industrial development agencies "in providing property solutions. In this regard its work will complement rather than overlap with the agencies."

Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the headquarters of Enterprise Ireland is to be transferred to Shannon.

In considering a future role for Shannon Development, the Minister said he had also taken on board the Enterprise Strategy Group recommendation that it should disengage from industrial development activities, which should be carried out by the national agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland will be responsible for the development of indigenous industry which will involve the transfer of Shannon Development staff to that body.

The total number of jobs supported by Shannon Development in the region is about 20,000.