CLIMATE OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR 
Climate change remains both a primary global and national issue and an existential threat. Not wishing to downplay externalities like the digital economy or a major conflict such as the Ukraine/Russia war, future economic and social development will be informed and influenced by long-term policy decisions on climate made in today’s short-term political cycle, according to Ciarán Hayes. IRISH PLANNING AWARDS 2023 TO RETURN IN SEPTEMBER
Up to 48 entries, including projects from public and private sector agencies, have been submitted to the Irish Planning Institute for the 2023 Irish Planning Awards, to be presented on Thursday 28 September at Dublin’s Clontarf Castle. THE END OF THE ROAD FOR CELTIC ROUTES PROJECT?
The future of Celtic Routes is now uncertain due to Brexit and unless new funds are sourced it may close at the end of August. The unique tourism project, which was launched in 2019, has seen successful initiatives rolled out between local authorities in Wexford, Waterford and Wicklow and their Welsh counterparts in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigon. DUBLIN COUNCILS UNITE IN HOUSING SCHEME
Dublin’s four local authorities are now calling out to housing developers and home builders to help them to activate or complete housing sites across the city and county, under a new joint initiative to support the housing market in the capital. ‘FAIRSELECT’ ACCOMMODATES TRANSPARENT APPLICATION PROCESS
FairSelect – a new property management platform to make processing applications for rental accommodation, and selecting and managing tenants both unbiased and transparent – is now being used by local authorities, including Meath County Council, approved housing bodies such as Tuath Housing and Respond and the Land Development Agency (LDA). DUBLIN TO HOST INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL HOUSING FESTIVAL 2025
Dublin will host the International Social Housing Festival in 2025. This biennial event is an initiative by Housing Europe (the European Federation of Public, Co-operative and Social Housing) and its members and allies, present across 25 countries. MEATH’S ROADMAP CONTINUES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Meath's Economic Development Strategy Roadmap plans to continue with the focus identified in its Economic Development Strategy 2014-2022. The aim is also to ensure that those considering establishing or expanding their business interests within Meath look upon it as an ideal place to live, work and do business. DUNDALK PILOTS PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROJECT
A pilot project has examined new approaches to public engagement as part of the Dundalk Local Area Plan 2024-2030 SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment in Louth). It was part of a research project aimed at enhancing SEA public participation in Ireland, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Planning Regulator. UNDERINVESTMENT IN NORTHERN AND WESTERN REGION
The growing economic divide in the Northern and Western Region compared to the rest of the country reflects the legacy of underinvestment in the region, which must be addressed by a stimulus package that positively discriminates in its favour, according to the Northern and Western Regional Assembly. UISCE ÉIREANN PLANS ON STREAM TO TRANSFORM WATER SERVICES
Uisce Éireann’s delivery of its largest-ever capital investment programme of €1bn for the year ahead is on stream, with projects ranging from largescale water and wastewater treatment plant upgrades to smaller interventions such as reservoir repairs and upgrading pumps.. SOUTHERN REGIONAL ASSEMBLY EU PROGRAMMES
The Southern Regional Assembly is the managing authority for the roll out of the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027. The latest ERDF programme is investing €663 million in 18 counties across these three regions in Ireland. LIMERICK REGENERATION SHOWCASE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
A delegation of government officials from Northern Ireland and academics from Queen’s University Belfast recently visited Limerick to study best practices for projects under Limerick’s Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan which includes an investment of €253m on physical infrastructure, €30m on social projects and €10m on economic programmes. AILG HIGHLIGHTS ‘DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT’ IN IRISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) has expressed major concerns to the Council of Europe (COE) and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRAE) that Ireland has the most centralised system of local government compared to its European counterparts in terms of powers, functions, service delivery and funding. ‘TRIP TO TIPP’ FOR COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL AWARDS 2023
The All-Ireland Community and Council Awards took place this year in Clonmel, for the first time, and following the 2023 ‘Trip to Tipp’, LAMA Chairperson and Tipperary Councillor Micheal Anglim requested that the awards ceremony be moved outside Dublin on alternate years!