The International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) and the Centre for Cross Border Studies (CCBS) held their joint annual conference at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on 29-30 January 2015. The conference, Shared Services, Shared Opportunities: New Models of Public Sector Collaboration and Partnership, focused upon a critical component of the public sector reform agendas on the island of Ireland, and is particularly topical in light of recent and imminent changes in the structure of local government in both jurisdictions. The conference is the culmination of a two-year programme of work involving the ICLRD, CCBS and other partner organisations under the INICCO II/CroSPlaN II Programme, sponsored by the Special EU Programmes Body under INTERREG IVA. Speaker slides and audio files are available for download below.
Welcome Session
| Welcome Address Ms. Caroline Creamer, Acting Director, International Centre for Local and Regional Development Ms. Ruth Taillon, Director, Centre for Cross Border Studies |
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| Shared Services and Local Government: A Transformative Agenda Mr. Brendan Hegarty, Chief Executive, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council | |
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Session 1
Shared Services, Shared Opportunities
| Introduction to Session and Overview of the ICLRD’s Shared Services Pilots in the Irish Border Region Dr. Andrew McClelland, Research Associate, International Centre for Local and Regional Development | |
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| Shared Services, Shared Opportunities: Austerity, Reformed Local Government and Reduced Budgets Prof. Greg Lloyd, Emeritus Professor at the University of Ulster | |
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| Shared Services Across Borders: Some Lessons from Europe Mr. Martín Guillermo-Ramírez, Secretary General of the Association of European Border Regions | |
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| Questions and Answers | ||
| Launch of the Centre for Cross Border Studies Evaluation Toolkit for Cross-Border Projects and the Budget Toolkit for Cross-Border Projects Introduced by Mr. Martín Guillermo-Ramírez, Secretary General of the Association of European Border Regions | |
Session 2
Shared Services: A Local Government Perspective
| Welcome by Chair Dr. Seán O’Riordán, Director, Public Policy Advisors Network | ||
| Facilitated Conversation between Ms. Pamela Arthurs, Chief Executive, East Border Region, Mr. Liam Hannaway, Chief Executive Designate, Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council, Mr. David O’Connor, Senior Responsible Officer for Public Service Reform, Programme Management Office and Mr. Paul Clifford, Director of Economic and Community Services, Monaghan County Council | |
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| Questions and Answers | ||
| Summation of Day 1 Ms. Caitriona Mullan, Chair, ICLRD | |
Session 3
Shared Services in Practice: Emerging Agendas for Local Government
| Welcome by Chair Dr. Helen Johnston, Chair, Centre for Cross Border Studies | |
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| Climate Change Across Borders: Fairness, Justice and the Governance of Adaptation Dr. Conor Murphy, Lecturer, Department of Geography and Senior Researcher, Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, Maynooth University | |
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| Red Cross Research – The Impact of Flooding on People’s Lives: Building More Resilient Communities and New Multi-Agency Initiatives in Northern Ireland Ms. Joanne McKenna, Senior Service Manager, British Red Cross and Mr. Neil McKittrick, Service Manager, British Red Cross | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
Session 4
Progressing Shared Services: Cooperation, Innovation and Civic Leadership
| Welcome by Chair Prof. Mark Boyle, National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis, Maynooth University | ||
| Breakout Sessions 1. Low Carbon Agenda: Mr. Padraig O’Hora, Senior Executive Engineer, Louth County Council with presentation by Mr. Denis Kelly, Senior Executive Planner, Donegal County Council on cross-border low carbon and renewables project |
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| 2. Emergency Management: Facilitated by Mr. Finian Joyce, Chief Fire Officer, Leitrim County Council with presentation by Ms. Joan McCaffrey, Emergency Planning Coordinator, Western Group Environmental Health Service on the Cross Border Emergency Management Working Group and the shared services pilot with Internationale Centre for Local and Regional Development and the All-Island Research Observatory | |
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| 3. Sustainable Transport: Facilitated by Mr. Pádraig Maguire, Regional Planner, Northern and Western Regional Assembly with presentation by Mr. Gordon Clarke, National Director for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Sustrans on the potential development of a cross-border regional cycle route network. | |
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| Return to Plenary: Feedback from Breakout Sessions | |
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| Closing Address: Placed-Based Collaboration – Leadership for a changing world Prof. Robin Hambleton, Professor of City Leadership, Department of Environment and Technology, University of West of England | |
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| Closing Comments: Key Points Dr. Anthony Soares, Research and Policy Manager, Centre for Cross Border Studies | |
