Latest news with #Sheerin
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Kerry Airport reports profit of almost €1.4 million for last year
The recently released report shows that Kerry Airport made a profit of €1,373,300 after tax in 2024. The figure represents a 14pc increase on the profit made in 2023. A total of 417,409 passengers travelled through the airport in 2024. Chief financial officer for Kerry Airport, Basil Sheerin, said that current expectations suggest that even more passengers will pass through in 2025. Mr Sheerin stated that the airport took in more than €8.5 million in 2024, representing a 3pc year-on-year increase. He said this growth was driven by strong performances in the airport's fuel, gift shop/duty free and car park operations. The financial officer said administrative expenses 'remain a challenge', with increased costs in wages, local authority rates, energy, maintenance exerting pressure on the airport's gross profit margin. 'We are pleased to report a final profit of €1,373,300, a 14% increase on 2023, supported by Government Grants of €1,392,878,' he said. 'This result is particularly welcome in light of our planned Capital Expenditure of over €4.4 million in 2025.' Mr Sheerin reported that feedback has been overwhelmingly positive in relation to the new arrivals hall opened at the airport in March. Construction is underway on the expansion of the departures hall, expected to be complete by the end of July. The hall will include more seating, a new smoking area, an additional boarding gate and expanded catering facilities. Mr Sheerin said the airport has committed to the science-based targets initiative for greenhouse gas emissions, is nearing the full conversion of its vehicle fleet to electric, and commenced a detailed feasibility study into on-campus energy generation. Following the publication of the Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, the AGM of Kerry Airport plc will be held at 12 noon at Ballygarry House Hotel in Tralee on Monday, June 30.
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Immigration warning over 'less than welcoming' statements
The tone of Sir Keir's remarks on May 12 was, as observed by Mr Sheerin and many others, surely something of a surprise. And it was unexpected even with an awareness - having covered this key issue closely over months and years - of Labour's developing and lamentable stance on immigration. The Prime Minister declared: 'Nations depend on rules – fair rules. Sometimes they're written down, often they're not, but either way, they give shape to our values. They guide us towards our rights, of course, but also our responsibilities, the obligations we owe to one another. Now, in a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.' The 'island of strangers' was a striking turn of phrase. Sir Keir went on: 'So when you have an immigration system that seems almost designed to permit abuse, that encourages some businesses to bring in lower-paid workers rather than invest in our young people, or simply one that is sold by politicians to the British people on an entirely false premise, then you're not championing growth, you're not championing justice, or however else people defend the status quo. You're actually contributing to the forces that are slowly pulling our country apart.' Maybe with the benefit of hindsight the Prime Minister's remarks, even though they could have been uttered just as easily by the Tory Brexiters, should not have been quite so much of a shock as they were. After all, Labour has embraced the key elements of the Conservatives' hard Brexit: loss of free movement of people between the UK and European Economic Area nations and the ending of the frictionless trade from which the country previously benefited enormously when it was part of the single market. Nevertheless, Sir Keir's tone was surely surprisingly dismal, even given all of this. Not only did we have the reference to 'an island of strangers' but also this declaration: 'This strategy will finally take back control of our borders and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy, and our country.' What seemed clear from Sir Keir's utterings was that populism most certainly did not end with the exit of Boris Johnson or Rishi Sunak from the prime minister post. Sir Keir's tone contrasted so starkly with Mr Sheerin's reasoned appraisal of the Prime Minister's remarks and Labour's plans on immigration. We had this from Sir Keir: 'We do have to ask why parts of our economy seem almost addicted to importing cheap labour rather than investing in the skills of people who are here and want a good job in their community. Sectors like engineering, where visas have rocketed while apprenticeships have plummeted.' You would imagine Mr Sheerin, as a veteran of the engineering sector, knows a lot more about the specifics than Sir Keir. And it is worth observing the Scottish Engineering chief executive is passionate about people in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK being trained as engineers. He would love to see the skills shortages which are posing such a challenge to member companies of Scottish Engineering and others in the sector solved. Mr Sheerin is not a politician - just someone with deep knowledge of the Scottish engineering sector. So what did the Scottish Engineering chief have to say in his quarterly report published on Friday? Read more He declared that he found the UK Government's 'latest pronouncements on immigration disappointing', highlighting the detrimental impact on companies of 'statements that feel less than welcoming'. Mr Sheerin hammered home his view that raising minimum qualification levels from Higher equivalents to degree level would 'leave out the skilled trades and crafts roles where we are already in shortest supply: welders, fabricators, electricians, pipefitters, CNC (computer numerical control) machinists to name a few'. That is surely a crucial point. And it is worth emphasising Mr Sheerin's observation that people skilled in these roles are 'already in shortest supply'. Mr Sheerin also noted: 'The shortening of the graduate visa scheme reducing the right to work from two years to 18 months after graduating will not only hit our education sector but also reduce the attractiveness of the scheme for companies who will have a shorter timeline to decide whether to invest in the process to extend the visa of the employee.' This is another good point. And the Scottish Engineering chief executive declared: 'Whilst I recognise that this [immigration] is a contentious political issue across the UK for a whole range of reasons, in engineering and manufacturing in Scotland the reality is that immigration is a vital source of skills and experience that cannot be replaced overnight. These skills levels take years to build - and we should be building them - but closing off the supply before putting in place the actions to do that is another example of an action that will challenge the stated ambition of growing our economy.' The time horizon with regard to building skills levels is important. It might not chime with that of politicians such as Sir Keir, who seems at pains to bang the drum on immigration as Nigel Farage's Reform UK makes a big noise on this front. However, it is a simple factual point that engineering skills do take years to build. Mr Sheerin declared that a frustration for him in Labour's immigration pronouncements was that 'whereas there is considerable detail on how we plan to restrict and close this supply of skills, on the laudable stated aim that we will replace the loss with trained or upskilled UK-born workers, the detail is missing on how that will be achieved'. He added: 'And there is no detail that recognises that engineering skills take between four and six years to get to a starting level of competency. It does not seem an unreasonable request for the get-well plan to carry at least the same level of detail as the take-it-away plan.' This seems like an absolutely fair summation of the problems with Labour's populist immigration proposals. If you were asked to choose whether you think it is Sir Keir or Mr Sheerin who is on the money in relation to immigration policy and its effect on engineering and the broader economy, it would surely be the easiest of questions to answer, any day of the week.
The Herald Scotland
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish Engineering boss Paul Sheerin warns on immigration
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on May 12 that the UK risked becoming an 'island of strangers' as he unveiled what he described as a 'strategy' to 'finally take back control of our borders'. Sir Keir declared then: 'I believe we need to reduce immigration significantly.' Mr Sheerin, who has led industry body Scottish Engineering since 2018, said in his latest quarterly chief executive's review published yesterday of Sir Keir's May 12 statement: 'Much has been said about the tone and language of the announcement, and you will have your own view of that. 'In consideration of the impact on business, companies have reminded me that for skills, like any other commodity in demand, the holder of the asset has choices, and therefore we - Scotland and the wider UK - are in competition with countries around the globe. So, when we make statements that feel less than welcoming, we detrimentally impact the ability for our companies to compete to attract those skills and so support our goal to grow our economy.' Addressing the detail of Labour's immigration proposals, Mr Sheerin declared that raising minimum qualification levels from Higher equivalents to degree level would 'leave out the skilled trades and crafts roles where we are already in shortest supply: welders, fabricators, electricians, pipefitters, CNC (computer numerical control) machinists to name a few'. He added: 'The shortening of the graduate visa scheme reducing the right to work from two years to 18 months after graduating will not only hit our education sector but also reduce the attractiveness of the scheme for companies who will have a shorter timeline to decide whether to invest in the process to extend the visa of the employee.' Mr Sheerin declared: 'Whilst I recognise that this [immigration] is a contentious political issue across the UK for a whole range of reasons, in engineering and manufacturing in Scotland the reality is that immigration is a vital source of skills and experience that cannot be replaced overnight. These skills levels take years to build - and we should be building them - but closing off the supply before putting in place the actions to do that is another example of an action that will challenge the stated ambition of growing our economy.' Read more He declared that a frustration for him in Labour's immigration pronouncements was that 'whereas there is considerable detail on how we plan to restrict and close this supply of skills, on the laudable stated aim that we will replace the loss with trained or upskilled UK-born workers, the detail is missing on how that will be achieved'. Mr Sheerin added: 'And there is no detail that recognises that engineering skills take between four and six years to get to a starting level of competency. It does not seem an unreasonable request for the get-well plan to carry at least the same level of detail as the take-it-away plan.' Sir Keir declared on May 12: 'We do have to ask why parts of our economy seem almost addicted to importing cheap labour rather than investing in the skills of people who are here and want a good job in their community. Sectors like engineering, where visas have rocketed while apprenticeships have plummeted. Is that fair to Britain?' Mr Sheerin said in his latest quarterly review: 'Surely now…we need that oft-quoted 'laser focus' to return to the promise to grow the economy? Without that growth all other political objectives, social and economic, are in jeopardy. 'Against that wish, and from an economic point of view, I found the UK Government's latest pronouncements on immigration disappointing.' The Scottish Engineering chief executive has in recent years on numerous occasions highlighted skills shortages as a crucial issue for the sector. He has previously flagged Brexit as a key factor which has exacerbated this problem. He observed in November 2021: 'Brexit still lingers like a bad smell…In the crucial skills area, one-quarter of members have been impacted by the loss of EU nationals.'
North Wales Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Hearts-bound Derek McInnes will not be in charge for Kilmarnock's season ender
A number of Killie fans directed chants towards Hearts and McInnes during their 3-0 defeat at Motherwell on Wednesday after the two clubs agreed a deal for the former Aberdeen boss to move to Tynecastle. Some of the visiting support ended up calling for McInnes to leave immediately and the club have taken a swift decision to remove the awkwardness from their final William Hill Premiership game. A club statement read: 'It has been agreed between our board of directors, Derek McInnes and his staff that the best approach would be if they were not in charge for the final match of the season. 'Paul Sheerin and Alan Archibald will also not be involved – first team preparation and matchday duties will be undertaken by Chris Burke and Craig Clark. 'We look forward to seeing the blue and white army out in force this weekend as we give the players the send off they deserve.' Killie travelled to Fir Park with hopes of finishing seventh but the defeat – which came after Robbie Deas' first-half red card – means they will finish ninth. With no prize money at stake for Killie and Hearts potentially needing a result to finish above Motherwell, McInnes has been taken out of a difficult situation. Defeat in Lanarkshire. — Kilmarnock FC (@KilmarnockFC) May 14, 2025 The 53-year-old's move to Hearts is expected to be confirmed on Monday after the Tynecastle board identified him as their preferred candidate to succeed Neil Critchley. McInnes led Killie from fourth place in the Championship to European football within two-and-a-half years and his assistant, Sheerin, was disappointed to hear fans turn against him at Fir Park. Speaking after the game, he said: 'I'm biased, I think he deserves a lot better, but that's easy for me to sit here and say. 'He'll be gutted by it, I know he'll be gutted by it, because he has given his all to the club. 'Unfortunately, football moves on and things happen in the game. You get opportunities and they're too difficult to turn down sometimes. 'As much as he'll be disappointed with it, he knows what he's done for this club. It's been nothing short of incredible to get them where they are.' Sheerin added: 'It's just a horrible situation the way it fell. The timing of it, he can't get away from that, but I think he's dealt with it brilliantly.'
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Hearts-bound Derek McInnes will not be in charge for Kilmarnock's season ender
A number of Killie fans directed chants towards Hearts and McInnes during their 3-0 defeat at Motherwell on Wednesday after the two clubs agreed a deal for the former Aberdeen boss to move to Tynecastle. Some of the visiting support ended up calling for McInnes to leave immediately and the club have taken a swift decision to remove the awkwardness from their final William Hill Premiership game. A club statement read: 'It has been agreed between our board of directors, Derek McInnes and his staff that the best approach would be if they were not in charge for the final match of the season. 'Paul Sheerin and Alan Archibald will also not be involved – first team preparation and matchday duties will be undertaken by Chris Burke and Craig Clark. 'We look forward to seeing the blue and white army out in force this weekend as we give the players the send off they deserve.' Killie travelled to Fir Park with hopes of finishing seventh but the defeat – which came after Robbie Deas' first-half red card – means they will finish ninth. With no prize money at stake for Killie and Hearts potentially needing a result to finish above Motherwell, McInnes has been taken out of a difficult situation. Defeat in Lanarkshire. — Kilmarnock FC (@KilmarnockFC) May 14, 2025 The 53-year-old's move to Hearts is expected to be confirmed on Monday after the Tynecastle board identified him as their preferred candidate to succeed Neil Critchley. McInnes led Killie from fourth place in the Championship to European football within two-and-a-half years and his assistant, Sheerin, was disappointed to hear fans turn against him at Fir Park. Speaking after the game, he said: 'I'm biased, I think he deserves a lot better, but that's easy for me to sit here and say. 'He'll be gutted by it, I know he'll be gutted by it, because he has given his all to the club. 'Unfortunately, football moves on and things happen in the game. You get opportunities and they're too difficult to turn down sometimes. 'As much as he'll be disappointed with it, he knows what he's done for this club. It's been nothing short of incredible to get them where they are.' Sheerin added: 'It's just a horrible situation the way it fell. The timing of it, he can't get away from that, but I think he's dealt with it brilliantly.'
