Honorary Consul of France holds meeting with Clare delegation at Shannon Airport

Securing flights from Shannon Airport to Paris plus encouraging French business to set up in the Mid-West post Brexit were among the key issues discussed between a Clare contingent and the Honorary Consul of France. 

A Clare County Council delegation, led by Mayor of Clare Councillor Cathal Crowe, hosted a meeting with Honorary Consul of France Dr Loïc Guyon at Shannon Airport on Thursday.

Cllr Crowe was joined by Cllr Tony O’Brien, Chair of the Council’s Twinning Committee and Ann Reynolds of Corporate Services. Acting CEO of Shannon Group, Mary Considine, Andrew Murphy Managing Director of Shannon Airport and Director of Public Affairs with Shannon Group, Caroline Kelleher were also in attendance for the meeting.

Among the issues discussed was the need to encourage French businesses to locate to the Mid West Region in a Post-Brexit era, to establish connectivity between Shannon Airport and France and to strengthen twinning relationships between Clare and France.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Crowe said he wanted to showcase a different part of the county by hosting Dr. Guyon at Shannon Airport as opposed to Áras Contae an Chláir.

“At Shannon we were given an airside walk-through by Andrew Murphy and Nandi O’Sullivan where we were shown recent upgrade works and the new hangar facility which is under construction. We then proceeded to the airport’s boardroom for our main meeting of the day. Shannon Group’s Acting CEO, Mary Considine, delivered an insightful PowerPoint presentation. The ‘cairdeas / fraternité’ (friendship) with Dr. Guyon and his Embassy colleagues is only beginning. Both he and I plan to do all that we can to help secure a flight route between Shannon Airport and Paris Charles De Gaule Airport. Strengthening twinnings and promoting the mid-west as a great place for French companies to do business will also be high on both of our agendas”.

Dr Loïc Guyon was a special guest at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park ahead of the meeting. Guyon is Head of French Studies at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, a position he has held for the past decade. He has been based in Ireland since September 2002.