THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the membership of the new Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce is a step closer to creating thousands of new jobs for the Mid West, according to Limerick Green Party TD Brian Leddin.
Chaired by former Johnson & Johnson Visioncare boss, Barry O’Sullivan, the ten member Taskforce includes Shannon Group chief executive Mary Considine and Limerick Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan.
Deputy Leddin is a renewable energy systems engineer and was responsible for negotiating the climate elements of the Programme for Government, including the key objective of making the Midwest a global leader in renewable energy development.
He welcomed the establishment of a taskforce to evaluate the potential of the Midwest and determine how this potential can be realised, particularly in the deployment of offshore wind power and the new emerging green hydrogen sector, as Ireland seeks to become an exporter of clean energy.
“There is potential here for thousands of new, high skilled jobs for the region,” Deputy Leddin said.
The establishment of the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce was announced in February, with the aim of assessing the strategic strengths and comparative advantages of the Shannon Estuary and to scope out potential opportunities for the area.
The group will produce a report, specifying the actions which can be taken to create jobs and opportunities in the region by October of this year.
“The Midwest will become a global leader in the new, clean energy revolution, with many thousands of green jobs being created in the coming years and decades. The new task force brings key expertise together and is a critical step to realising this vision,”Deputy Leddin added.
The members of the Taskforce are:
*Barry O’Sullivan (Chairperson), formerly of J&J and current IDA Board Member;
*Mary Considine, CEO Shannon Group;
*Siobhan Dolan Clancy, Managing Director SDC Business Consulting;
*Seán Hegarty, ESB Generation and Trading;
*Seamus Hoyne, Dean of Flexible and Workplace Learning,TUS;
*Pat Keating, CEO Shannon Foynes Port Company;
*Professor Eamonn Murphy, UL and Chair of Mid-West Regional Enterprise Plan;
*Dr Brendan O‘Donnell, Vice President and Registrar – Munster Technological University;
*Dee Ryan – CEO Limerick Chamber;
*Professor Luuk van der Wielen, Director Bernal Institute, UL.
