http://ori.i2ud.org Collaborate. Educate. Plan. Sustain. Mon, 15 Mar 2021 17:43:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 http://ori.i2ud.org/2011/12/iclrd-2012-conference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=iclrd-2012-conference http://ori.i2ud.org/2011/12/iclrd-2012-conference/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:28:57 +0000 John http://i2ud.org/?p=2901 www.iclrd.org which was recently redesigned by Daniel Tsai and Carolina Morgan of the Institute.]]> http://ori.i2ud.org/2011/12/iclrd-2012-conference/feed/ 0 http://ori.i2ud.org/2011/03/cross-border-collaboration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cross-border-collaboration http://ori.i2ud.org/2011/03/cross-border-collaboration/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:49:12 +0000 John http://i2ud.org/?p=2576 Continue Reading]]> John Driscoll, Director of ICLRD, Vice President of IIUD

Since 2005, when the Institute, the National University of Ireland (Maynooth), the University of Ulster and the Centre for Cross-Border Studies jointly created the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD), our work in Ireland has focused on promoting reconciliation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by encouraging the harmonization of spatial development policies in the two jurisdictions. Our work on cross-border cooperation has reached two important milestones.

A New Cross-Border Cooperation Agreement

With the assistance of the ICLRD two cross-border councils in the Irish border region have taken a major step forward in the promotion of cross border partnerships with the signing of a major new Strategic Alliance. At a special event hosted by the Northern Ireland office in Brussels, the Louth Local Authority and the Newry and Mourne District Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding that commits them to strengthen and promote social, cultural and economic links within their combined districts.

The event in Brussels gave officials and elected officials from both Councils the opportunity to present the Memorandum of Understanding to an influential audience of EU officials and members of the European Parliament. The Mayor of Newry and Mourne District Council, Councilor Mick Murphy, noted that “By signing up to this alliance, we are committing ourselves to an entirely new form of regional governance above and beyond traditional local and central government structures.”

The Chairman of Louth County Council, Councilor Peter Savage, also welcomed this new initiative:

“The memorandum of understanding will deepen the commitment of our authorities to continue co-operating, but will also establish new precedents which other regions can follow”.

At the signing, the two North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretaries, Mary Bunting and Anne Barrington welcomed the launch of the Memorandum of Understanding:

“This is a very positive development and an excellent example of practical, mutually beneficial cross border co-operation. The four themes for co-operation have a direct impact for the people of Newry and Mourne and Louth at a time of constraint on resources. It makes sense to co-operate and where practical to share resources for the benefit of the whole region.

We know also that the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) have played a key role in conceiving and enabling this co-operation. No doubt there are lessons to be learned from this process and these lessons will be shared with other regional authorities here and abroad”.

The Spatial Strategies on the Island of Ireland—Framework for Collaboration

In February, a major policy initiative proposed by ICLRD to promote greater cooperation in spatial planning on the island of Ireland was launched by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Éamon Ó Cuív and Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy, MLA. The document, Spatial Strategies on the Island of Ireland—Framework for Collaboration, identifies the key planning challenges faced by the two jurisdictions and discusses the potential for collaborative spatial planning. It proposed a non-statutory collaborative public sector framework to achieve mutual benefits.

The concept of a non-statutory framework for cooperation between the southern National Spatial Strategy and the northern Regional Development Strategy was first introduced in the 2006 ICLRD study, funded by InterTradeIreland. Since then, ICLRD has continued to highlight the advantages of the framework through our research, conferences and dialogue with senior policy makers. We have also used elements of the collaborative framework to guide our own work, including our efforts with local governments and networks in the border region and our work on evidence-based planning.]]> http://ori.i2ud.org/2011/03/cross-border-collaboration/feed/ 0