Governance and Public Administration

Governance and public administration represents an important field of work for ICLRD. A chief concern is facilitating integrated, place-based policy-making. This requires cross-sectoral coordination and in many cases collaboration or partnership with external stakeholders. These in turn, may be business groups (e.g. Chambers of Commerce), civil society groups (e.g. housing associations, environmental NGOs) or indeed other public sector agencies at local, regional or national levels. In a cross-border context, it may be challenging to find the most appropriate contact persons ‘on the other side’ due to differences in administrative structures and institutional arrangements. In such cases, ICLRD can perform the role of a bridging organisation or facilitator, building networks of public sector actors and stakeholders working on similar issues.

It is often said that strategic planning is about saving money, as new opportunities are identified and synergies created. The ‘shared services’ approach promoted by ICLRD is a pragmatic means of bundling resources across boundaries to create efficiencies and save costs.

• ICLRD Cross Border Public Safety Messaging – Full Report
• The 21st Century Councillor in Irish Local Government
• North West City Region Strategic Development Priorities (2016-ongoing)
• Shared Services (multiple documents, 2012-2014)
• All Change But Any Alignment? The Impact of the Proposed Governance and Planning Reforms Across the Island of Ireland on Inter-Jurisdictional Planning (2010) 
• Newry-Dundalk Strategic Alliance (multiple documents 2009-2010)

ICLRD Leads: Neale Blair, Breandan O’ Caoimh, Jim Walsh, Shane O’ Sullivan, Caroline Creamer