The government has decided to pull the plug on plans to develop an international aid hub at Shannon Airport.
Local representatives had said the project made perfect sense, and that it promised to bring an employment boost to Clare, but an independent report has now deemed the plan not to be viable.
Plans to utilize Shannon as an international hub for the storage and distribution of emergency aid were included in the Programme for Government, and it was hoped this would deliver a jobs boost to the county.
However, the government has now scrapped the plans after an independent assessment found ‘there is not a justifiable, economically viable rationale for proceeding.’
The report commissioned by Irish Aid examined the possibility of holding relief or medical items in Shannon, but stated potential donors and users were ‘quite explicit’ in their lack of interest, and that such a facility would not be self-sustainable.
It was also proposed that Shannon be used as a training centre to respond to emergencies, but found Clare’s international airport did not offer a viable alternative to existing sites.
The report recommended the Airport focus efforts to explore a potential role in EU Civil protection, saying this was the most viable choice. However, this was still regarded as uncertain and as a result, the Department of Foreign Affairs has decided not to move ahead.
