Regional Assembly Welcomes Knock Business Park Initiative

 

The Border, Midland and Western Region has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Mr. Batt O’Keefe T.D. that a feasibility study will be undertaken by Shannon Development on the development of an Enterprise and Innovation Park at Ireland West Airport, Knock. Mr. Gerry Finn, Director of the BMW Regional Assembly stated that, “the announcement of this study which has the objective of developing 300 jobs over a three year period, builds upon the findings of the BMW Regional Assembly’s recent policy report “Maximising the Economic Impact of Airports in the BMW Region” which recommended that the Government should seek to pro-actively develop the economic potential of airport business parks. The research paper developed in conjunction with the four airports in the BMW Region, Donegal, Galway, Sligo and Ireland West Airport Knock, argued that airports, when combined with neighbouring industrial, business or technology parks, can be a valuable stimulant to the economic development of a region – as demonstrated in the case of the Shannon Region.” The Director added, “The Mayo area has proven that it can attract companies that are based on knowledge-intensive industries such as Baxter and Allergan, and the opportunities to attract foreign direct investment and indigenous companies are even greater when an airport is part of the combined package on offer. In the context of the recently announced review of the role of all of Ireland’s airports by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and our own analysis of airports as regional economic engines, we look forward to co-operating with the Minister, Shannon Development and Ireland West Airport Knock, on this important feasibility study”. Finally, Mr. Finn stated that the proposed Enterprise and Innovation Park at Ireland West Airport Knock, drawing upon the expertise of Shannon Development, “reinforces the concept of the Atlantic Gateway – with linked nodes of growth centres providing a favourable environment for the development of growth-oriented economic sectors and restoring the region to sustainable economic development and employment creation”.