Editing Shannon Development

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Irish English|date=August 2019}}
{{primary sources|date=October 2007}}
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name     = Shannon Development
|type            = Former [[Public service bodies of the Republic of Ireland|state sgency]] of the [[Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment|Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation]]
|logo            = [[Image:Shannon Development Logo.jpg|200px|]]
|logo_width      = 
|logo_caption    = 
|seal            = 
|seal_width      = 
|seal_caption    =
|formed          = 1959
|preceding1      =  
|preceding2      = 
|preceding3      = 
|dissolved       = 10 November 2014
|superseding     = 
|jurisdiction    = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
|headquarters    = Shannon Town Centre, Shannon, County Clare, Ireland
|chief1_name     = 
|chief1_position = 
|chief2_name     = 
|chief2_position = 
|employees       = 
|budget          =  
|parent_department   = 
|website         = [http://www.shannondevelopment.ie/AboutUs/ Shannon Development website]
|footnotes       =
}}

'''Shannon Development''' (legally the ''Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shannondevelopment.ie/AboutUs/LegalEntity/ |title=Legal Entity - Shannon Development |accessdate=2007-10-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129220557/http://www.shannondevelopment.ie/AboutUs/LegalEntity/ |archivedate=2007-11-29 }}</ref> formerly known as '''SFADCO''') was an important regional development body for the '''Shannon Region''' of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. Its area in the lower [[River Shannon]] basin comprised all of counties [[County Clare|Clare]], [[County Limerick|Limerick]], and the former [[North Tipperary]], as well as north [[County Kerry|Kerry]] and west [[County Offaly|Offaly]].  Its key founder was [[Brendan O'Regan]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/brendan-oregan-26422357.html| work=[[Irish Independent]]| title=Brendan O'Regan A quite extraordinary and innovative businessman whose legacy will live on in the success of the Shannon region| date=10 February 2008}}</ref>

Shannon Development worked with, but was not an agency of, [[Forfás]].

==Responsibility==
Shannon Development was set up as Shannon Free Airport Development Company by the [[Irish Government]] in [[1959 in Ireland|1959]] to promote the airport and region. [[Shannon Airport]] was built at a strategic point on the early transatlantic flying route, but with the age of the jet, its fortunes declined. In 1969 [[Aer Rianta]] took responsibility of the airport.

Shannon Development was responsible for a number of areas of development of the region including tourism and industry similar to [[IDA Ireland]]. The agency was responsible for [[Shannon Free Zone]] and National Technology Park on which the [[University of Limerick]] is located. [[Shannon Town]] was also created and managed by the company until it was transferred to Clare County Council in 2004. This property transfer was the biggest property transaction in the history of the state.

Shannon Development also acted as a landlord for many companies in the region. Companies that qualify, paid rent to Shannon Development. In return the company can apply for [[Enterprise Ireland]] grant funding through Shannon Development. This constitutes a symbiotic relationship.

The government reviewed the role of the agency in July 2005 and its functions are being realigned. Under the new arrangements, Shannon Development will have an enhanced regional economic development role with a particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the less developed parts of the Shannon region. It will also retain responsibility for the Shannon Free Zone industrial park.  The existing enterprise support functions (carried out by Shannon Development in relation to both indigenous and overseas enterprises) will be assumed by the national agencies, [[Enterprise Ireland]] and [[IDA Ireland]].

Shannon Development became part of Shannon Group plc on 10 November 2014. To emphasise a more commercially focused property remit, Shannon Development was renamed Shannon Commercial Enterprises Ltd, trading as Shannon Enterprises.

==Shannon Heritage==
Shannon Heritage, a member of the group, is a semi-state commercial body responsible for operating tourist sites including [[General Post Office, Dublin|the GPO]], and [[Craggaunowen]].<ref name="Potcheen-1">{{cite news|title=Shannon Heritage gears up for continued growth|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/shannon-heritage-gears-up-for-continued-growth-1.3598730|first=Fiona|last=Reddan|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=17 August 2018|access-date=18 August 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824051451/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/shannon-heritage-gears-up-for-continued-growth-1.3598730?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftransport-and-tourism%2Fshannon-heritage-gears-up-for-continued-growth-1.3598730|archive-date=24 August 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>  In August 2019 [[Fingal County Council]] announced Shannon Heritage were to be appointed to run the [[Fry Model Railway]] when it re-opens in addition to [[Malahide Castle|Malahide Castle and Demesne]] which they already operate.<ref name="MTOC">{{cite news|newspaper=Fingal Independent|first=John|last=Manning|title=Operator appointed for Fry Model Railway exhibition|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/fingalindependent/news/operator-appointed-for-fry-model-railway-exhibition-38396990.html|date=17 August 2019|access-date=18 August 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817040750/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/fingalindependent/news/operator-appointed-for-fry-model-railway-exhibition-38396990.html|archive-date=17 August 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Celtic Tiger]]
*[[Economy of the Republic of Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.shannon-dev.ie Shannon Development]
*[http://www.enterprise-ireland.com Enterprise Ireland]
*[http://idaireland.com IDA Ireland]
*https://web.archive.org/web/20110721125013/http://www.irishpressreleases.ie/printer-page.php?p=1538

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Economy of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Defunct government agencies of Ireland]]