FIRST INDEPENDENT PLANNING REGULATOR IN EUROPE 
Ireland is the first country in Europe to put in place an independent planning regulator, reflecting a determination to learn from past lessons and to establish new mechanisms that effectively implement public policies, which have developed in recent years. ON COURSE FOR COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION TRAINING
Through collaboration with four Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs), all local authorities have successfully completed the preparation and formally endorsed their Local Authority Climate Change Adaptation Strategy/Action Plans. Now a series of training programmes aims to equip people of all ages with the knowledge and skills necessary to plan for climate action in their local communities. ROYAL COUNTY ROLLS OUT CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY
Meath County Council has been one of the first local authorities in Ireland to adopt its own Climate
Action Strategy, following a united decision taken by the council and elected members in 2016 to
focus on the opportunities which climate change may bring. PEL POWERS AHEAD WITH SOLAR STREET BINS
Mayo’s PEL Waste Reduction Equipment - a recent Irish Times Innovation Award winner for its solar-powered compacting litter bin - has rolled out its SolarStreetBin™ to a number of councils and municipal districts both at home and abroad. CALLAN KICKS COMPETITORS INTO TOUCH TO BECOME KILKENNY’S ENERGY TOWN!
Having scooped €100,000 plus additional supports on winning Kilkenny’s Energy Town competition, the county’s small town of Callan is leading the way in this inaugural landmark sustainable and renewable energy initiative, which the organisers hope could catch on not just in Ireland but has the potential to be replicated globally.
CCMA CHARTER TAKES STEPS ON CLIMATE ACTION
A new Local Government Climate Charter, developed by the County and City Management
Association (CCMA) in consultation with the local government sector, contains a range of
objectives to address the climate challenge. FOCUS ON PERMANENT HOUSING AT ICSH AWARDS 2019
Focus Housing Association was the Overall Winner of the ICSH Allianz Community Housing
Awards 2019 for the rapid delivery of its permanent housing project on John’s Lane West in
Dublin 8. And in the opinion of the judging panel, the development has the huge potential to be
replicated throughout the country. COMPLEX ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE APARTMENT LIVING
An independent report, commissioned by Clúid Housing and the Housing Agency, highlights a
range of issues specifically relating to Owners’ Management Companies (OMCs) and the need
to examine the state of sustainable apartment living for Ireland, sooner rather than later, writes
Fiona Dunkin, Housing Policy Adviser, Clúid Housing.1 LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE BREXIT READY – AILG
A discussion document on Brexit, published by the Association of Irish Local Government, outlines the ways in which the local government sector in Ireland could respond to issues arising from Brexit, and highlights potential consequences to the sector.
LIMERICK LEADS SMART ENERGY CITIES PROJECT
Limerick has been awarded a substantial grant in the biggest EU Research and Innovation Funding
programme – Horizon 2020 – for a smart city and community project worth €6.5m to the Treaty City. FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF EU REGIONS AND CITIES
Discussions focused on the future roles for EU regions and cities in developing a greener, more socially integrated and connected Europe, during the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels in October. The event also saw the official launch in Belgium of Galway 2020’s programme of cultural events for the year ahead.