Final Report with Exec Summary
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External Review of the International Fund for Ireland Final Report December 2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................ i 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ....................................................... 1 1.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Background ......................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Terms of Reference ............................................................................................ 1 1.4. Overview of Approach ........................................................................................ 2 1.5. Format of this report ........................................................................................... 2 2. STRATEGIC CONTEXT ................................................................................. 3 2.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 3 2.2. Overview: The International Fund for Ireland ................................................... 3 2.3. The context during the period of review (2005-2010) ...................................... 5 2.4. Looking forward ................................................................................................. 11 2.5. Contextual research – Peace building processes .......................................... 12 2.6. Summary of key contextual messages ........................................................... 13 3. ANALYSIS OF FUNDING .............................................................................15 3.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 15 3.2. Administration of the Funding .......................................................................... 15 3.3. ‘Bridging the gap’ .............................................................................................. 17 3.4. Projects Supported by Strategy Area .............................................................. 19 3.5. Projects supported by Programme .................................................................. 21 3.6. Financial Leverage ........................................................................................... 22 3.7. Employment associated with the Fund supported projects ........................... 23 3.8. Community Uptake Analysis ............................................................................ 24 3.9. Summary of key messages from funding analysis ......................................... 26 4. FIELDWORK DATA .......................................................................................27 4.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 27 4.2. Consultation with Stakeholders ....................................................................... 27 4.3. Survey with Project Promoters ........................................................................ 33 4.4. Case Studies ..................................................................................................... 40 5. ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE, STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT ....45 5.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 45 5.2. Outputs and Achievements .............................................................................. 45 5.3. Issues related to the New Strategy ................................................................. 52 5.4. Issues related to Management ........................................................................ 58 5.5. Summary of Key Messages from the Analysis ............................................... 59 6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................61 External Review of the International Fund for Ireland Final Report 6.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 61 6.2. Overall Conclusions .......................................................................................... 61 6.3. Recommendations ............................................................................................ 63 Appendix One - Programme of Consultation Appendix Two – Programme Description Appendix Three – Process Description Appendix Four – Survey Results Appendix Five – Case Studies External Review of the International Fund for Ireland Final Report Acknowledgements Deloitte would like to thank all those who have contributed to this research. In particular we would like to acknowledge the support and guidance provided by members of the Steering Group throughout the project. In addition we would like to thank all others who were consulted or who assisted in data collation during the course of the research. Disclaimer This report was prepared solely for the International Fund for Ireland. No other party is entitled to rely on our report for any purpose whatsoever and we accept no duty of care or liability to any other party who is shown or gains access to this report. Only the final copy should be regarded as definitive. External Review of the International Fund for Ireland Final Report Glossary AMBIT American Management and Business Internship Programme AOH Ancient Order of Hibernians BCDA Ballynafeigh Community Development Association CBESR Community-based Economic and Social Regeneration CEO Chief Executive Officer CFNI Community Foundation Northern Ireland CiT Communities in Transition CRC Community Relations Council CSI Cohesion, Sharing and Integration DCA Development Community Association DEL Department for Employment and Learning DEL Department of Education DFA Department of Foreign Affairs DFP Department of Finance and Personnel DSD Department for Social Development DVD Digital Video Disc ETI Education and Training Inspectorate EU European Union FAS Foras Áiseanna Saothair Fund International Fund for Ireland GAA Gaelic Athletic Association GRIT Gerry Rogan Initiative Trust GVA Gross Added Value HGI Housing Growth Indicator KEY Knowledge through Enterprise for Youth KPBA Kilkell Parish Bride Association LET Learning and Education Together LINC Local Initiative for Needy Communities NDP National Development Plan NICVA Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action NIHE Northern Ireland Housing Association OFMDFM Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister PfG Programme for Government PR Public Relations PSA Public Service Agreement PSNI Police Service of Northern Ireland QUB Queen’s University of Belfast RDC Rural Development Council RDS Regional Delivery Strategy SEP Sharing Education Programme SEUPB Special EU Programmes Body SiEP Sharing in Education Programme SNP Shared Neighbourhood Programme External Review of the International Fund for Ireland Final Report SOA Super Output Area Southern border counties Counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan, Sligo, TDP Tyrone Donegal Partnership UK United Kingdom USA United States of America VCS Voluntary and Community Sector WHP Wider Horizon Programme YENI Youth Enterprise Northern Ireland External Review of the International Fund for Ireland Final Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background to Review 1. Deloitte was commissioned by the International Fund for Ireland (‘the Fund’) to complete an external review of the organisation with a primary focus on activities since 2006. 2. The last review was completed in 2005. The result of this process was a five year strategy entitled “Sharing this Space”, commencing on 1 st January 2006. This extended the Fund’s existing community programmes, with a view to building a sustainable infrastructure for reconciliation operating beyond the Fund’s lifetime. Much of the Fund’s traditional economic- based activities ceased, with resources diverted towards grassroots community development. Strategic Context 3. The Fund has been operating in a changing policy and strategic context, most notably: the challenging political situation, as evidenced for example by the length of time it took to bring forward the draft Cohesion, Sharing and Integration (CSI) document; evidence of need to further embed good relations across society; following a period of economic growth, current economic circumstances especially public funding cuts, highlight concern for community infrastructure; research, reflecting on local and international conflict transformation processes, highlights that peace building needs to be an ongoing process; and while the period under review has seen progress (e.g. relative stability of the Assembly in NI) there remain many challenges, some of which are currently increasing. Funding Analysis 4. Between January 2006 and February 2010, the Fund has supported 334 individual projects in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties with a total financial commitment over the period of £89.6m. In terms of strategy areas: Building Foundations received £25m; Building Bridges £26.3m; Building integration £17.6m; Legacy £14.5m; and £6.2m went on projects from the pre-2006 strategy, during transition to the new strategy. 5. Fund activity has been largely concentrated (90 per cent) in areas formally designated as deprived. This is higher than at the time of the 2005 review (87 per cent). 6. While drawing in other funding and producing employment outcomes, financial leverage and