The steering group aill also will include senior officials from those Departments as well as the Departments of Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Environment, Community and Local Government. The Group has held its first meeting and is currently planning its work programme for the period ahead.

In a jointly released statement the Ministers said: "The Government recently decided in principle to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and bring it together with Shannon Development to form a new entity with a commercial mandate in public ownership. We are delighted to announce the composition of the Steering Group that is charged with bringing forward proposals for the implementation of that decision, including the optimisation of the enterprise development arrangements in the region, before the end of the year. We are also announcing the chairpersons and members of the two Task Forces that will assist the Group in its work."

"We have asked the Steering Group:-

· In conjunction with the DAA, to bring forward specific proposals for the separation of Shannon Airport from the DAA;
· To review and assess the DAA plan, when submitted, for the operational and financial readiness of the DAA Group in a post separation scenario;
· to bring forward proposals for the transfer of Shannon Development's functions in relation to indigenous enterprises and foreign direct investment to Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the IDA respectively and to ensure that a plan for the delivery of those functions in the region is developed by each agency;
· To bring forward proposals for the transfer of Shannon Development's tourism functions, including the Regional Tourism Offices, but excluding Shannon Heritage, to Fáilte Ireland;
· To explore options and prepare proposals for the formation of the new entity of Shannon Airport and Shannon Development, taking particular account of the need:
· for the optimum organisational structure of the new entity that would best support the development of the Shannon area; and,
· for the new entity to collaborate with IDA and EI, using its property portfolio in conjunction with the airport business as a catalyst for the development of strategic sectoral opportunities for the region, specifically within the aviation sector and, as required, to continue to support the property needs of certain IDA/EI clients;
· To assess the feasibility of creating an international aviation centre of excellence centred on Shannon Airport."

The Steering Group will oversee the work of two Task Forces: an Aviation Business Development Task Force and a Change Management Task Force, both of which will report to the Steering Group.

The Aviation Business Development Task Force will be chaired by Rose Hynes who is a former member of the senior management team of Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA) and the boards of Aer Lingus Teo and Shannon Airport Authority, and who is the current chair of Bord Gáis Éireann. This Task Force will seek out and evaluate aviation-linked business opportunities that could be associated with the new entity and bring forward proposals addressing all relevant issues in this regard.

The Change Management Task Force will be chaired by John Fitzgerald (former Dublin City Manager and current chair of the National Transport Authority, An Post and the Limerick Regeneration Project). This Task Force will develop proposals for transitional arrangements and for the appropriate corporate, managerial and operational structures of the new entity, including matters related to IT, HR, Finance and property. In addition, it will draw up proposals for the transfer of Shannon Development functions to the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Failte Ireland.

Chairs of both Task Forces will interact closely with the Steering Group and will consider, as appropriate, issues which impact on the work of both Task Forces.

Arrangements will be put in place for consultation with other stakeholders, such as IBEC and ICTU with whom preliminary consultations have already taken place.

The Ministers concluded: 'We are delighted that so many high calibre people, experts in many different fields, are prepared to serve on the Steering Group and the two Task Forces along with the agencies. We are grateful to them for giving of their time and effort to bring forward proposals for the implementation of the Government decision in relation to Shannon'.

MEMBERSHIP OF STEERING GROUP AND TASK FORCES

Steering Group

Chaired by Mr. Tom O'Mahony, Secretary General, D/Transport, Tourism and Sport and Mr. John Murphy, Secretary General, D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

John Moran Sec Gen, D/ Finance
John Fearon Asst. Secretary, D/Transport, Tourism and Sport
Martin Shanagher Asst. Secretary, D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Ronan Gallagher Principal Officer, D/Public Expenditure and Reform
Michael Layde Asst. Secretary, D/Environment, Community & Local Government

Aviation Business Development Task Force

Chaired by Rose Hynes (former member of the senior management team of Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA) and of the boards of Aer Lingus Teo and Shannon Airport Authority and current chair of Bord Gáis Éireann).

John Fearon, Asst. Secretary, D/Transport, Tourism and Sport
Martin Shanagher, Asst. Secretary, D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Derek Moran D/Finance
Declan Keane Partner KPMG, previously chaired Inter-Departmental Mortgage Arrears Group
Eamonn Brennan Chief Executive of the Irish Aviation Authority
Ed Hansom Aviation consultant with RBS Aviation Capital and former CFO GPA Group Plc
Pat Dalton CFO One51, member of the Board of the Irish Aviation Authority and former member of the board of the Cork Airport Authority
Michael Tiernan Businessman in the Mid-West Region
Dr Alan Ahearne Lecturer in Economics NUI Galway, member of the Board of the Central Bank of Ireland and former adviser Department of Finance
John McMahon Forum 21
Michael Ryan General Manager, Signature Flight Support Shannon
Brian McLoghlin Legal and Aviation consultant, former Group Company Secretary GPA
Dr. Vincent Cunnane CEO, Shannon Development
Mary Considine Director, Shannon Airport
Tommy Fanning Manager, Engineering Division, IDA
Neil O'Sullivan Manager, Engineering Markets Department, Enterprise Ireland

Change Management Task Force

Chaired by John Fitzgerald (former Dublin City Manager and current chair of the National Transport Authority, An Post and the Limerick Regeneration Project).

John Fearon, Asst. Secretary, D/Transport, Tourism and Sport
Martin Shanagher, Asst. Secretary D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Dan Flinter former CEO of Enterprise Ireland
Vincent Harrison Director, DAA
Mary Considine, Director, SAA
John King Asst CEO Shannon Development
Breda O'Toole Head of IR, IDA
Joe Buckley Cargo & Technical Development Manager, Shannon Airport
Sinead Buckley Senior HR Specialist, Enterprise Ireland
Aiden Pender Director of Strategic Development, Failte Ireland.