99 jobs lift the gloom in the mid-west
Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, who travelled to the region to make the announcements, said 50 new jobs at two Shannon companies were among 300 created this year in Shannon Free Zone for which Shannon Development has promotional responsibility.
A further 49 jobs were announced for the Raheen Industrial estate in Limerick.
Launching Shannon Development’s 2007 annual report, the Tánaiste said: “This is a very strong vote of confidence in the facilities and skilled workforce the Shannon Free Zone has to offer.”
Ms Coughlan said the free zone now generates annual sales worth €3.36 billion and 90% of the companies there were export-orientated.
While up to 300 new jobs have been announced for the zone this year, another 120 have been lost.
Figures for 2007 show that the free zone had more than 100 companies employing 7,047 at year end, a drop of 131 on 2006.
During 2007 a total of 484 new jobs were lost in the free zone and 353 created.
The new jobs for the Shannon free zone announced yesterday will be created by Mentor Graphics Ireland Ltd (35 jobs) and 15 jobs at a new company on the estate, PAFS Ireland Ltd.
An R&D facility being set up by a new arrival at Raheen industrial estate in Limerick, ON Semiconductor, will provide 49 jobs, of which 28 are already in place.
Commenting on Shannon Development’s results for 2007, the Tánaiste said: “The company performed well in 2007 despite a difficult operating environment, and its sharpened regional focus yielded dividends for the Shannon region. I am pleased Shannon Development is continuing to look to the future and plan for the needs of it’s clients and potential investors.”
Newly appointed Shannon Development chief executive Dr Vincent Cunnane said the 2007 results showed the company continues to deliver innovative regional development strategies and projects. “Our overriding aim is to make this region the place to live, work and enjoy, ensuring the highest quality of life, and a model for regional development that will deliver a better future for all.”
Shannon Development also holds the tourism promotion brief for the Mid-West.
Last published tourism figures for the region show the region attracted two million visitors in 2006, generating €442 million in revenue.
The company says it expects that when figures for 2007 become available, they will show another increase.
Shannon International Airport dealt with 3.63 million passengers last year.
