The Government's plans for decentralisation have hit yet another stumbling block, it emerged yesterday. Despite an announcement 12 months ago that Enterprise Ireland would take over Shannon Development's job creation role, no member of staff has yet been moved to the mid-west.
This was confirmed yesterday by Kevin Thompstone, chief executive, Shannon Development, at the launch of the company's annual report for 2005.
Mr Thompstone said Shannon Development had continued to act as the agency for job creation in the Shannon region over the past 12 months, adding that almost 1,800 jobs had been created last year.
He also revealed that a major announcement relating to the creation of some 300 new jobs for the Shannon Free Zone was imminent.
According to Mr Thompstone a "clarification process" has been under way with various unions since the Government's decentralisation plans were announced last July, a process that should "conclude relatively soon".
Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan last night criticised the decentralisation plans for Enterprise Ireland as another "badly planned" Government initiative.
"The announcement made by Minister Martin last year left Shannon Development in a no-man's land, with uncertainty hanging over a regional organisation which has a key role in industrial promotion," said Mr Noonan.
Meanwhile, 2005 was described as a year of "solid progress" by Shannon Development.
Highlights of the year, according to the report, include the creation of 1,795 new jobs, bringing the number employed by Shannon Development-assisted companies to almost 20,000.
These companies generated annual sales of €5.2 billion, and spent €1.8 billion in wages and Irish-sourced raw materials and services. According to the report €11 million was invested in regional economic infrastructure in 2005 with the opening of the Information Age Park in Ennis the same year.
Some €4 million in grant aid was secured by Shannon Development for product development in the Shannon region, leveraging a total investment of over €12.8 million, the report added.
