Tourism move a further blow to agency

RESPONSIBILITY for promoting tourism in north Kerry is to be transferred from Shannon Development to Cork Kerry Tourism.

The move to be announced today by Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue will see control of local tourism return to the north Kerry area for the first time in 15 years.

However, the unexpected development will come as a further blow to Shannon Development, already facing a tough battle for survival.

Founded in 1959, the agency's brief is to generate industry, tourism and development in an area spanning Clare, north Tipperary, Limerick, north Kerry and south Offaly.

But in recent months, the 400-strong organisation has been told it could lose control of its property assets and also faces a potential merger with Enterprise Ireland.

Under plans proposed by Tánaiste Mary Harney, the organisation's property portfolio in the Shannon Free Zone worth more than 200m would be transferred to the new Shannon Airport Authority.

In addition, the Government's blueprint for industrial development for the next decade, the Enterprise Strategy Report, has proposed a merger with Enterprise Ireland, due to decentralise to Shannon by 2008. Both initiatives are being strongly resisted by Shannon Development and last week it said the Government's proposals for the region would be a disaster.

However, the loss of responsibility for north Kerry will be seen by many as the final nail in the coffin for Shannon Development.

Mr O'Donoghue said he had been seeking for some time to have the tourism needs of north Kerry looked after locally.

"I have decided that as of January 2005 that the tourism needs and promotion of all of Kerry will come under the control of Cork Kerry Tourism," he said. Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development and Cork Kerry Tourism have been asked to consider the

options available and pave the way for the transfer of responsibility for north Kerry by the beginning of next year, he added.

There are no specific plans yet to transfer responsibility of tourism for other counties handled by Shannon Development.

However, the Government is reviewing all tourism authorities throughout the country.