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Republic Of Ireland Case Studies

The project has taken us way beyond our expectations! From local to national level it has allowed us to encounter the diversity of people and systems involved in planning and governance structures. We have been able to carry out case studies, develop innovative learning procedures and practices, and “live” test strategic, collaborative, enabling planning.

“Conversation” Methodology
In 2004, while deliberating what the themes might actually mean in terms of practical action research, we decided to put the concept of participation and multilevel governance into practice, by holding “Conversations” with key players from local, county, and national levels. We wanted to know what the concepts meant to them and would anyone be interested in having their work inform the case studies and become learning for a wider audience.

Up to May 2008, over 300 people from the community, voluntary and statutory sectors, from neighbourhood, county, regional and national levels have been actively involved, in the design and implementation of the action research, the feedback sessions and follow up actions. We are proud and thankful to all those who participated, demonstrating that bringing so many diverse experiences to the table is complex, but worthwhile. The lessons should be transferable lessons across institutional, country and language boundaries. Read more on Conversation Methodology…

Have a look at the cartoons, wonderfully drawn by Allan Cavanagh, which captured the essence of some of the conversations.

Download Conversation Methodology to doc

1. Local Governance: The Case of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

“Collaborative approaches to local governance are relatively new in Ireland”

This case study represents a microcosm of the transition from government to governance and highlights some of the complexities this has brought to decision making and development. Some findings and recommendations of the study include:

The democratic legitimacy of interagency fora needs to be underpinned by ensuring representatives are mandated by “sending organisations” and are informed and empowered by “receiving organisations”

The geographical scale of the county exceeds OECD and NESC recommendations on the optimum size for local development initiatives and therefore requires some sub-division for local development, inter-community networking and the delivery of local services
There is a need to advocate territorial rather than sectoral approaches
The DLR County Development Board has pursued a very strategic…approach towards the attainment of multilevel governance. Its capacity to promote additional upward co-ordination merits further support

It is important Southside Partnership continue to promote participative democracy and foster citizen participation in all aspects of local development and decision making Local Governance: The Case of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

Follow up action

SSP and the County Development Board engaged the Tavistock Institute, London to explore the possibilities of working with Chief Executives in key state agencies within the county, regarding barriers and opportunities to planning, collaboration and implementation.

2. Planning and Participation in the Republic of Ireland
The general aim of this research was to identify the perceived adequacy of public involvement in the planning process in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown through a review of the experience in the preparation of the 2004-2010 Development Plan. Thanks to Michael Gough, previous Director of Planning for opening the doors to allow this research to occur. Learning and recommendations include:

There is general willingness among the planning authority, the statutory and voluntary sector agencies and members of the public(s) to co-operate and ‘grow’ participation in planning
There are various appropriate levels of Involvement/Participation
All communities, but particularly disenfranchised communities can be better enabled to develop a proactive role in the planning process through incentivised capacity building. Knowledge can translate into action.
Employ a community development approach, which enables communities to become self reliant and self sufficient by building up their own expertise and intervention capacities instead of being reliant or dependent on “outside” assistance
To further this, support agencies could employ their own planning staff or contracted consultants to support communities make effective inputs to planning processes at critical times; run targeted training courses; develop closer links with elected representatives…
Planning and Participation in the Republic of Ireland

Follow Up Action

SPAN hosted a briefing session on the new Development Plan with the Development Plan Team of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and 33 representatives from 19 groups and agencies experiencing or working with socially excluded groups. This was a first for everyone involved and reaction was very positive. Submissions were made based on this session and the groups will be brought together at further public consultation stages over the next 18 months. When the process is finished we will be able to fully assess what the collaboration and the engagement will have contributed. Development Plan Review and Preparation Process

Resource: Virginia Tech Planning Website http://www.uap.vt.edu/cdrom/tools/index.htm

3.Putting Communities at the Heart of Community Infrastructure: Part 1
The aim of this action research was to capture the stories of communities and state agencies working in two neighbourhoods on the development of new community centres.

Initially, this study was questioned in terms of its relevance to the project, validity in meeting Interreg guidelines and what it had to do with eg. the European Spatial Development Perspective. However, within SSP, if we were to remain true to the groups we work with, experiencing poverty and disadvantage in an urban setting, it was critical to start with were they were at and, if SPAN was serious about citizen participation and involvement in strategic planning and multilevel governance structures, then there needed to be an understanding that community facilities and projects provide the first base of involvement for citizens in their own community and subsequently wider society.

Learning and recommendations from the study include:

The provision of community infrastructure/facilities must be recognized as a key element in promoting active citizenship and building social capital. A community facility in the context of a disadvantaged community is a centrally located building housing creative and innovative solutions in response to local needs in terms of childcare, youth services, adult learning, counselling, employment services and many more, depending on local requirements. It is often managed by volunteers from the area with paid, volunteer and employment scheme staff, who answer to different agencies depending on their type of employment.

Five critical factors are identified:

                  Roles
                  Funding Structures
                  Capacity
                  Governance
                  Working in partnership

Putting Communities at the Heart of Community Infrastructure

Follow Up Action

The communities and agencies continue to work on bringing the new facilities to the two areas. Contractors have started digging foundations for the new Mountwood Centre – some funding issues continue to be worked on. It is hoped the plans for the new Samuel Beckett Civic Centre in Ballyogan will be available for consultation by the end of 2008 with further negotiations on accessibility, usage and funding.

For further information contact:

Ballyogan Family Resource Centre 00353 1 295 3219
Mountwood Resource Centre 00353 1 284 5722
DLR County Council Community Department 00353 1 2054700
Southside Partnership 00353 1 2090610

Other learning

The case studies are tangible outcomes of the project, but project participants have also appreciated the opportunities for learning and “developing whole new sets of relationships and outlooks” through the Local Advisory Group which guided the studies, the Conversation series which generated them, and the Transnational Exchanges to Northern Ireland, Belgium and France.

The true legacy of a project like this will really only be seen when we look back in 2 or 3 years time and see how we have capitalised on all the relationship building, learning and implementation