THE JOURNAL OF CROSS BORDER STUDIES IN IRELAND No. 4

with information about the CENTRE FOR CROSS BORDER STUDIES (including 2008 annual report)

Spring 2009 - Year 10 featuring an interview with First Minister Peter Robinson 1

JOURNAL OF CROSS BORDER STUDIES IN IRELAND No.4

THE JOURNAL OF CROSS BORDER STUDIES IN IRELAND

Cartoon by Martyn Turner

The Centre is part-financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body Editor: Andy Pollak

ISBN: 978-1-906444-22-8 3

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The Minister for Education and Science, Ms Mary Hanafin TD, launches the 2008 ‘Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland’. From left to right: Mr Niall Holohan, Southern Deputy Joint Secretary, North/South Ministerial Council; Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, President, City University; Ms Hanafin; HE David Reddaway, British Ambassador to Ireland; Ms Mary Bunting, Northern Joint Secretary, North/South Ministerial Council; Dr Chris Gibson, CCBS Chairman; Mr Michael Kelly, Chairman, Higher Education Authority.

CONTENTS

A word from the Chairman 05 Chris Gibson

“Business to be done and benefits to be gained”: The views 11 of Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Peter Robinson, on North-South cooperation

What role for North-South economic cooperation in 19 a time of recession? Interviews with six business leaders and economists Andy Pollak and Michael D’Arcy

Cross-border banking in an era of financial crisis: 35 EU rules need not apply Patricia Clarke and Ray Kinsella

Learning to be good neighbours: The role of cross-border 53 spatial planning in Ireland Francois Vigier 4

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Dealing with cross-border sex offenders: 67 Learning from the North’s multi-agency approach Susan McKay

Voting for unity or union? The complexities 79 of public opinion on the border issue John Coakley

Towards cosmopolitanism? Renewing Irishness 91 in the 21st century Robin Wilson

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR CROSS BORDER STUDIES 107

Extracts from the Centre’s 2007-2008 Financial Statements 150

Contact details 153 5

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A WORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Chris Gibson OBE

March 2009

This September the Centre for Cross Border Studies will be 10 years old. Anyone who compares the four page introductory leaflet produced in 1999 with this 156 page Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland in 2009, with its wide range of research articles – from politics, the economy and banking to spatial planning, opinion polls and sex offenders – will testify to the great success of this pioneering initiative over the past decade. The tributes to its work for peacebuilding through practical cross-border Chris Gibson cooperation from leaders in both Irish jurisdictions are also testament to its achievements: from First Minister Peter Robinson (see interview in this issue), Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and successive Secretaries of State in Northern Ireland to President Mary McAleese and taoisigh and in the South; along with heads of government departments, business chiefs, trade union leaders, university presidents and community and voluntary sector leaders in both jurisdictions.

Since its foundation in September 1999, This phase also saw the beginning of the the Centre has seen three broad phases. Centre’s now well-established expertise in The first, from 1999 to 2002, largely organising North-South conferences, funded by the EU Peace Programme seminars and study days: more than 50 through the Special EU Programmes of these have been held in the past Body, was based on the delivery of a decade by the Centre and its associated number of cross-border research projects, organisations, bringing together over selected after open competition by the 4,000 people involved in health, Centre’s research committees, in education (including pre-school, primary, telecommunications, health (and mental secondary, third level, teacher and health), education, local government, citizenship education), the economy, animal health, local history societies, technology, planning, agriculture, tourism, sustainable development and EU ICT, local government, European funding programmes. cooperation, community development, 6

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ageing, waste management, housing, (www.borderireland.info) and Border sustainable development, banking and People (www.borderpeople.info). other practical areas. Many of these people – specialists in these subjects in At the same time it carried on doing their own jurisdictions – had never even commissioned research projects in more met their counterparts in the other Irish specialised cross-border areas like early jurisdiction before coming to one of years education, citizenship and science these CCBS-organised events. education, postgraduate flows, service delivery to minority ethnic groups, trade In its second phase, from 2002 to the union cooperation, out-of-hours GP present, the Centre moved away from services and hospital services. Its sister this concentration on research into a organisations also support significant more entrepreneurial mode: creating and research programmes: for example, managing cross-border and all-island SCoTENS has seed-funded over 40 networks, putting on training courses, research and conference projects in six and setting up information websites. years, one of which, on citizenship and During this period it was instrumental, diversity education, was the subject of a with partners in the relevant sectors, in book (by Dr Gerry Jeffers of NUI setting up and running Universities Maynooth and Dr Una O’Connor of Ireland, which brought together the University of ) launched by Mary island’s nine universities; the Standing Robinson in February 2009. Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS), which networked Now in early 2009, the the island’s nine colleges of education Centre is moving into and nearly 30 other teacher education an exciting new phase. providers; the International Centre for It has been Local and Regional Development (ICLRD), commissioned by the which brought together spatial planning EU’s cross-border specialists from five research institutes in INTERREG IV the USA, Ireland and Northern Ireland; programme to the North/South Public Sector Training undertake five major Programme, which trained over 140 research, development, civil and public servants in practical training and information projects over the cross-border cooperation; the Irish- next three years. These new projects African Partnership for Research comprise the following: a programme of Capacity Building, which linked the nine ‘action research’ projects, training Irish universities with universities in courses, workshops and conferences in Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique and spatial planning for local planners, Malawi to support research in officials, councillors and community development, health, education, gender leaders in Northern Ireland and the and ICT; and two major online Southern border region (in partnership information systems: Border Ireland with the International Centre for Local 7

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and Regional Development); a study of available to institutions, organisations and how to revive the border region economy companies in each jurisdiction wishing to in a new era of peace and reconciliation work jointly with counterpart bodies but also of recession (with across the border. And not just across the InterTradeIreland); a study of the Irish border: in the past 15 months the feasibility of planning hospital services in Centre has hosted fact-finding visits from the Irish border region on a cross-border local and central government officials, basis (with the Institute of Public Health diplomats and academics from Norway, in Ireland); a pilot Impact Assessment Sweden, France, Spain, Netherlands, Toolkit, an innovative way of beginning Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, to measure the impact and effectiveness Lithuania, Cyprus and Hong Kong. Closer of cross-border cooperation in Ireland; to home, in October 2008 Andy Pollak and a second phase of the successful and Patricia Clarke addressed a visiting Border People mobility information delegation from the House of Commons website, which provides practical Welsh Affairs Committee seeking to learn information for people wishing to move about cross-border cooperation in Ireland across the Irish border to live, work, to help them formulate policy on such study or retire (with the North/South cooperation, particularly in health, along Ministerial Council). the English-Welsh border.

This renewed emphasis on research will The Centre will be planning more go alongside the Centre’s continuing seminars and conferences, including work on all-Ireland networks in higher another international conference on Irish education, teacher education, spatial and European cross-border cooperation planning and cooperation with African in 2011. This will build on the experience universities. The Centre’s cross-border of the highly successful conference management, networking and entitled ‘Cross-Border Cooperation as part administrative expertise is always of the Northern Irish Peace Process: Some 8

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Lessons for Europe’ which was held in partner in a new phase of the Education Dundalk in June 2008, with speakers and for Reconciliation project, whose attenders from Ireland, England, Scotland, innovative work over the past 10 years in France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, furthering the cause of peace and Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Kosovo, reconciliation through citizenship China and the USA. education has seen over 60 second-level schools, North and South, taking Mention should also be made of the first advantage of the professional two seminars organised in Dublin (in development, cross-border networking April 2008) and Entebbe, Uganda (in and teaching and learning resources it November) under the auspices of the has provided. Irish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building (IAPRCB). Few of those This 2009 Journal of Cross Border who gathered for the first board meeting Studies in Ireland features a range of of the Centre nearly 10 years ago would research and opinion articles by key have imagined that one day it would lead actors in and authorities on cross-border a consortium of all the universities on cooperation in their respective fields. It the island of Ireland to work on opens with an interview with the First development cooperation in health and Minister of Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Peter education in Africa. The IAPRCB is an Robinson MP MLA, articulating his vision excellent example of how highly skilled of practical North-South cooperation in people from both Irish jurisdictions can Ireland. Four leading business figures and work together for the ‘common good’ by two senior economists in both looking beyond the island and its insular jurisdictions then give their views on how difficulties to help much poorer countries that cooperation might work in this new, to overcome crippling problems of very difficult period of international poverty, disease and educational under- recession. Other articles cover cross- achievement. As the Provost of Trinity border personal banking in Ireland in this College Dublin, Professor John Hegarty, new situation (by CCBS research manager told the Entebbe workshop in November, Dr Patricia Clarke and UCD banking this was the first time in their history that specialist Professor Ray Kinsella) and the the nine Irish universities had ever joined innovative ways in which the Police together in a significant collaborative Service of Northern Ireland and the project. He could have added that such a Garda Siochana are dealing with the breakthrough in collaboration had been problem of cross-border sex offenders (by largely achieved through the efforts of a the prominent author and journalist small group of people working out of the Susan McKay). In a new departure, the Centre for Cross Border Studies. journal also carries two articles on political issues: one by UCD political The 2009-2011 period will also see the scientist Professor John Coakley on the Centre joining the City of Dublin complexities revealed by opinion polls in Vocational Educational Committee as a Northern Ireland, the 9

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and Britain on the issue of the Irish activities in the past year. The Special EU border; the other by Northern journalist Programmes Body, having supported and academic Robin Wilson on how a several of the Centre’s projects in the new ‘cosmopolitan’ Irish identity might past year through the EU Peace Two look in the 21st century. It should be (Extension) programme, will in the next stressed that by publishing these two three years support its five commissioned articles on politics the Centre is trying to research projects as outlined above provoke new cross-border thinking on through the INTERREG IVA programme. issues important to the island – it is not Another major funder has again been the agreeing with or endorsing the Irish Department of Education and opinions expressed. Science. The Centre has also been active in bidding competitively for research projects from government departments Once again, the Centre must express its and cross-border agencies like gratitude to the wide range of EU Cooperation and Working Together programmes, government agencies and (CAWT). Financial support for the other organisations which have funded its Centre’s associated organisations – 10

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Universities Ireland, the Standing Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), Conference on Teacher Education North the Association of European Border and South (SCoTENS) and the Regions, the nine universities, the nine International Centre for Local and colleges of education and 29 other Regional Development (ICLRD) – has institutional subscribers to SCoTENS, and come from the Northern Ireland the institutions which make up the Departments of Education and International Centre for Local and Employment and Learning, the Irish Regional Development. Department of Education and Science, the Irish Higher Education Authority, We must also genuinely thank our InterTradeIreland, the Northern Ireland advertisers, most of them cross-border Department for Regional Development, bodies or companies themselves, which the Irish Department of the Environment, have faithfully supported this Journal in Heritage and Local Government, and the recent years, and have advertised again International Fund for Ireland. this year despite the very considerable financial constraints imposed on them by We would also like to express our the recession. They are Safefood, Tourism gratitude to the various other Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Weber organisations which have partnered the Shandwick, Cooperation Ireland, the Centre over the past 12 months: notably Loughs Agency, the Institute of Public the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Health in Ireland, and FPM Secretariat, the Irish Department of Chartered Accountants. Foreign Affairs, the Chartered Institute of 11

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“BUSINESS TO BE DONE AND BENEFITS TO BE GAINED”: INTERVIEW ON NORTH-SOUTH COOPERATION WITH FIRST MINISTER PETER ROBINSON

Q. In September 2004, Dr Ian Paisley said following a meeting with the then , Mr Bertie Ahern: “We are working towards a settlement for all the people of Northern Ireland, and in doing so we wish to build a relationship with our neighbour that is practically based rather than politically motivated. No one has anything to fear from such an accountable North-South relationship of equal partnerships.” Was this a significant change of view by the DUP leadership? What do you understand Dr Peter Robinson Paisley as meaning by “an accountable North-South relationship of equal partnerships”?

This was very consistent with the DUP about practical cooperation as good position and policy which has always neighbours that’s something we’re all for, been based on having practical but if somebody’s trying to make us cooperation rather than the often move down a road to a united Ireland, unnecessary structural and politically then you’ll find us resisting. motivated relationship that has been preferred by others. As for as being an Q. As the Unionist First Minister of accountable relationship of equal Northern Ireland, what do you think partnerships, Dr Paisley would have been Northern Ireland has to gain from saying there that prior to the St Andrew’s economic and other practical Agreement the North-South relationship cooperation with the Republic of was not accountable. It is now Ireland? Does it have anything accountable under the new to lose? arrangements. So again this is consistent with the DUP position. We do things I think both Northern Ireland and the where they are to mutual benefit rather Republic of Ireland have something to than being done so that someone gain by cooperation. I’ll not tread on achieves a political goal. That’s the tender toes at the present time but it’s difference between the two: when it’s very clear that the more open and 12

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friendly our society is in Northern Ireland, in the Irish Republic when there are hard the more attractive it becomes for people times in an economic downturn to look from the Republic to come here for at their cost base and see that they can holidays or indeed for shopping day trips. actually get things done a lot cheaper in That’s an immediate advantage Northern Ireland with very skilled people particularly for the towns closest to available. the border. I should add that I don’t think any In terms of financial services I considered politician should be looking at this issue it very much a ‘win-win’ when Brian solely on what the position is today. I Cowen agreed to open up the restricted think we have to have a bit more vision practice that had existed where all than that. The benefits from cooperation companies were required to base and working together in the long term themselves entirely within the Republic are significant, and I don’t think it helps for their financial services sector. He the Irish Republic if Northern Ireland is removed, in real terms, the minimum unstable. I’m not sure that people in the activities rule which allowed companies United States or India or the Far East will based in the Republic to have mid and particularly distinguish which side of the back office jobs in Northern Ireland. That border on the island they’re on. So the meant that they weren’t tempted to go more stable and inviting the Republic of to far flung parts of the world but could Ireland and Northern Ireland are, the have a base in Dublin and still be able to better for both of us. benefit from skilled people coming out of universities in Northern Ireland by having Q. In recent years a cash-rich Irish an outreach somewhere in Northern Government has funded North- Ireland – preferably in East , as I South infrastructure, including roads would say as its constituency MP. and innovation. Given that’s not likely to happen again in the near Q. Does the onset of the future, would you see your support international economic recession – for such cooperation diminishing? and with it recession in both the UK and the Republic of Ireland – mean No, I don’t think the people of Northern there is less to gain for Northern Ireland and their politicians are bought by Ireland from such cooperation? a few hundred million euro. That is a very small amount when set beside the £13 I don’t want to be seem to be touting for billion per year that comes from the UK business at this time, but the cost of exchequer for both our block grant and doing business in Northern Ireland – the for annually managed expenditure. So operational cost – would be very this small amount of money isn’t the significantly cheaper than it is in the Irish motivating issue. There should always be Republic. So in many ways it will be a a presumption that people want to have greater temptation for companies based a good relationship with their neighbour. 13

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There are some areas where clearly it is dispute. However they very properly kept advantageous to the Republic of Ireland out of it and let us solve our own to improve infrastructure in Northern problems. I think that recognition that Ireland because their citizens pass they shouldn’t be seen as the prop for through it as the shortest way between nationalists in Northern Ireland – they two parts of the Republic. Thus people should move to a position that is much from Donegal will pass through Northern more neutral – has helped as well. Ireland if they’re heading to Dublin in many cases. Londonderry will be seen as Q. Would you say the sense of the major town in the North West. threat surrounding practical cross- There are advantages here for the border cooperation with the Republic as well – so again it’s a ‘win- Republic of Ireland is much less in win’ situation. unionist eyes than for many decades? If so, why is this? Q. Is the concept of good neighourliness a useful one in North- I’ve consistently said that I don’t think the South cooperation in Ireland and relationship between Northern Ireland how should it manifest itself? and the Irish Republic has ever been better than it is at the present time. That Yes it is. A big issue for the party and for doesn’t say that there won’t be occasions me had always been the fact that there where there will be competition, was a territorial claim being made by the particularly on the economic front. But Republic of Ireland on Northern Ireland. I there’s a world of difference between think the removal of that claim – not just competition and emnity. in terms of the constitutional change that took place in the 1998 referendum, but Q. Do you see practical North-South more importantly through the words and cooperation going beyond economic actions of the leading figures in the cooperation into areas, for example, Republic – made the big difference to like energy, the environment, health unionists in Northern Ireland. Perhaps or higher education? more than any other, Bertie Ahern was the one to start that process – the more My antenna go up if people start talking significant change came during his time – about that kind of cooperation having to now very helpfully being carried through be at a structural and formal level. When with Brian Cowen. people want to formalise it in that way it speaks to me of an attempt to change It’s no secret that we’ve gone through a the constitutional relationship between bumpy patch in Northern Ireland recently. Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic – If that had happened 5-10 years ago, you that it is part of a process to lead you would have had leading politicians from towards a united Ireland. But if people the South coming in very heavily on the say there are many areas where we can side of the nationalist party in the cooperate, and that cooperation means a 14

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Minister lifting up a phone, writing a that the structured arrangements that we letter or having a meeting, I don’t see have don’t require us to have a body any difficulty with that. Even if there isn’t dealing with a particular subject and that a benefit from the cooperation itself, it might be better to have it in another there are benefits from talking about subject. Those are the kind of discussions how we do things and about how they’re that will be ongoing, but I go back to the done in the Irish Republic, and you can point that if there is no threat involved, learn from everybody else’s experiences in then those kind of arrangements can be these matters. That happens much better much more informal and ad hoc. in a more ad hoc or informal way than if you structure it. Q. To be specific, are there any areas, apart from the economy, I could go into some stories about the where you think there might be manner of the structural contact that scope for greater cooperation? there is, which I think is entirely false and which I think we are beginning to break Clearly there are things not defined by down a little. If I go to a North-South borders, some of which are covered meeting it’s almost like amateur already, issues relating to the dramatics, where you’re given your lines environment, animal health, all those to say – and when I say this, he will say kind of issues where whether there is a that. That’s not how mature politicians border or not makes no difference to the should be structuring their meetings. I’m impact they will have on one side or the happy that at more recent meetings I’ve other. As a general rule, it is sensible to been involved in, the speaking notes have have cooperation in the handling of been set aside and the politicians have issues that relate to these kind of areas. I engaged. I think that’s been welcomed don’t see there’s any reluctance on the by Brian Cowen and by others in the part of Northern Ireland Ministers if they South, and it’s certainly much more think that it is of benefit to have informative and you can understand cooperation on any area to proceed to people’s positions much better than have that cooperation. There certainly through the carefully crafted words that wouldn’t be any foot-dragging on my the civil servants provide for you. part if I felt it was beneficial to the people of Northern Ireland. Q. To go back to my question about expanding areas of cooperation, Q. Would environmental would energy be one, or spatial sustainability and climate change be planning? an obvious area that doesn’t recognise borders? If you’re talking about structured contact, we have already got agreements in terms Climate change might be more of a of structures. There may well be a time national issue, and our lead on climate in the future when people may decide change would be on a UK-wide basis. But 15

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Deputy First Minister Mr Martin McGuinness MP MLA, Taoiseach Mr Brian Cowen TD and First Minister Mr Peter Robinson MP MLA at the plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council, Derry/Londonderry, 23 January 2009 certainly whatever we do will impact on the extent to which they want to the Irish Republic and vice versa in terms cooperate one with the other. But as a of climate change. general rule I’m very much in favour of cooperation, networking and building up Q. Would you agree that there is a relationships. particularly strong case for cross- border regional cooperation in the Q. Are there any areas of North-West (Londonderry and government (including local Donegal) given that region’s government) and/or business which geographical peripherality? you would see as being particularly useful to cooperate on in the I think there is a remoteness from the North-West? centre of power for people in Donegal relating to Dublin and for people in We have seen cooperation in the North- Londonderry relating to Belfast, and if West in terms of the the transport links – there is to be a vibrant North-West then the roads are an obvious area where the stronger the activity can be in that there is benefit. When I was the Minister area the better. I think the case is good responsible for the Department for and there are initiatives already in those Regional Development I wasn’t slow in areas. It is obviously a matter for local speaking on the phone to my counterpart politicians on the councils in those areas in Dublin when it came to issues relating 16

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to the City of Derry airport, all of which other than those agreed in the were beneficial to both the people of Belfast and St Andrew’s Donegal and the people of Londonderry. Agreements? So there are many areas where cooperation just makes sound sense. I think I’ve touched on that to the extent that there may be some areas presently Q. What is your view of the very covered by the Belfast Agreement that significant growth in cross-border may not be as valid now as they were cooperation at community and thought to be then. Therefore there may grass-roots level, much of it funded be a wish to look at other matters which by EU programmes? would be more relevant today – that will always happen. I think that if there is better cooperation at political leadership level, it makes Q. Would these be areas other than people more relaxed and freed up to those currently covered by the six have that contact at a community level, North/South Implementation so in many ways the example does come Bodies? Might there be some bodies from the top. There are examples I could you might want to drop and other also give of where perhaps the ground bodies you might want to add on? level moved faster than the politicians: plenty of examples where people have I don’t think I’ll ever find myself in the been ahead of the politicians not least in position where I’m enthusiastic about terms of the changes that we’ve seen adding on. Because again we come back within Northern Ireland, where people to the issue of why are we doing this? were perhaps faster than the politicians This having to fit everybody into some in wanting to move on. kind of framework is in my view politically driven, and it would be much I encourage these contacts, particularly as better if there was a more relaxed and we’ve lived in a society where there has normal kind of cooperation rather than been to some extent a belief that the having to do everything very officially people on one or other side of the border and formally. were ogres, and we didn’t want to have anything to do with those people, they Q. What do you hope to see coming were our enemy. I think the more you out of the current review of the can break that down the better, and North/South bodies? obviously community contact is a way of doing that. I hope that there will be a move away from some of the formality that is around Q. Could you ever envisage the them, so that it becomes much more North/South Ministerial Council’s natural and normal for meetings to take remit being extended to include place rather than it being the big areas of North-South cooperation occasion. I think that would serve people 17

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better – certainly it would serve them structures – when you have officials who better if we got away from some of the are driving the issue forward, it is more stiffness that’s associated with that kind likely to move forward. Again I find those of structure. meetings very useful, and I believe colleagues do as well. The last one we Q. Would you like to see the had in Edinburgh came in the teeth of establishment of a stronger parallel the ‘credit crunch’ and we were able to East-West structure? have a very detailed discussion, which was not bound by the speaking notes, in We do have an East-West structure: the terms of what each of the British-Irish Council meets and there are administrations was doing, and what the also sectoral meetings taking place. It has UK and Irish governments were doing – been agreed at a BIC meeting that we that again was helpful in terms of the set up a secretariat in the way that we decision-making process each have for the North/South Ministerial administration has. Council. I think that step will significantly change the nature of the East-West 18

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Q. What would you say to to have a VAT rate that is significantly encourage a business person from less than the Irish Republic’s. The flocking the Republic of Ireland to invest in of shoppers across the border for about Northern Ireland in the current 30% savings on their weekly food bill economic climate? again indicates that living in Northern Ireland can be a very viable option for I think in the current economic climate people in the Irish Republic. all the advantages lie with Northern Ireland. I understand that operating Q. What do you think of the idea costs – both of labour and premises – – put forward, among others, by would probably be somewhere around a chairman Alan Gillespie third cheaper in Northern Ireland than – of a joint agency to promote the they would be in the Republic, and in island of Ireland as a destination for some cases almost 50% cheaper. So Foreign Direct Investment? from the point of view of costs, which in the present economic climate are a key I don’t think that was his best moment. factor, there are significant advantages in Anybody knows that when it comes to people setting up in Northern Ireland. investment there is always going to be Beyond that the educational standards in competition. How on earth would such Northern Ireland are higher than an organisation determine the placing of anywhere else in the British Isles – we’ve any new project? The competition is a 10% higher pass rate in exams in there – it’s not a realistic proposition in Northern Ireland than in the rest of the the circumstances that we have. I think UK – so you’re getting a well-educated he should perhaps think that one workforce who speak the same language, through again. so there are no difficulties there. It’s close by in terms of being able to manage Q. Lastly, do you see North-South businesses on both sides of the border cooperation playing a significant and now you’ve got a political role in helping to make Northern environment which is stable. We are now Ireland a more prosperous place? as peaceful a society as you’ll find probably anywhere in Europe, and more It’s bound to, not least because there is a peaceful than in some places. very significant market in the Irish Republic and it’s one I don’t believe we’ve Q. What about the higher rate of tapped into sufficiently in the past, Corporation Tax in the UK? maybe for historical reasons. But there’s business to be done and benefits to When it comes to tax levels there are be gained. swings and roundabouts.There are other tax incentives that are available in The interviewer was Andy Pollak and Northern Ireland, and if people come and the interview took place on 16 live in Northern Ireland they’ll be pleased December 2008. 19

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WHAT ROLE FOR NORTH-SOUTH ECONOMIC COOPERATION IN A TIME OF RECESSION? INTERVIEWS WITH BUSINESS LEADERS AND ECONOMISTS

Andy Pollak and Michael D’Arcy

Since the early 1990s coming together of the business confederations North and South, and Sir George Quigley’s mould-breaking speech about the need for a Belfast-Dublin ‘economic corridor’ within a broader ‘island economy’, economic and business cooperation Michael D’Arcy Andy Pollak between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been on the rise. Sir George’s vision was subsequently supported by leading economic policy makers and business people.1 The 1998 Belfast Agreement, with its establishment of InterTradeIreland as a government agency to promote North-South trade and business development, saw this process accelerating.

In the past decade every indicator of However these developments took place economic interaction between the two against a background of unprecedented jurisdictions has been strongly positive: domestic and international economic cross-border trade has increased by over growth. One could argue that the ‘island 70%; investment by Southern economy’ – and greatly increased North- companies in Northern Ireland has South cooperation to achieve it – was expanded dramatically; a cash-rich Irish simply benefiting from the phenomenon government pledged nearly €600 million of ‘a rising tide lifting all boats’. The to improve the North’s infrastructure; worldwide economic recession that and the case for an ‘island economy’, started to hit Ireland hard in the middle put by influential business-led bodies like of 2008 has changed everything. The the IBEC-CBI Joint Business Council and Republic of Ireland’s economy, in the North/South Roundtable Group particular, is facing a dramatic downturn, ‘think tank’, has been argued and with the public finances deteriorating at largely won. a speed rarely seen in any advanced 20

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country in recent times and the major Confederation (IBEC) and Chief Executive banks’ shares plummeting to frightening of the Dublin-based Healy Group, a major lows. For its part, the Northern Ireland supplier of pharmaceutical and food Executive were not talking to each other ingredient products5; Professor John for the first five months of the crisis due Bradley, an independent economic to age-old disputes about justice, consultant and former research professor policing, language and education. at the Economic and Social Research Anything but the economy! During this Institute, who advises governments in time the British government’s main Central and Eastern Europe on their response to the ‘credit crunch’ and its medium term economic and industrial impact on the UK economy was to strategies6; and Dr Michael Smyth, borrow to a massive and unprecedented Senior Lecturer in Economics at the degree and so incur debt levels that will University of Ulster, a prominent have significant medium-term Northern Ireland economist who implications for the country’s tax and specialises in regional economics and public expenditure policies. regional policy7.

The Centre for Cross Border Studies It should be borne in mind that the views decided that in this situation it would be of those interviewed were recorded in a useful and insightful exercise to late November-December 2008, three interview a group of business leaders months before this Journal was published who had been closely involved in North- in March 2009, so may have been South economic cooperation and particularly influenced by financial factors economists who had closely watched and – such as the collapse in the value of researched its development. Those Sterling against the euro – dominating interviewed in late November and discussion at that time. December 2008 were Stephen Kingon, Chairman of Invest Northern Ireland, co- Another vital point, implicit in all the Chair of the North/South Roundtable contributions but articulated by John Group, and formerly Managing Partner of Bradley, is that the projections PricewaterhouseCoopers in Northern outlined in this article – and particularly Ireland2; David Dobbin, Chairman of those looking forward 15 or 20 years – InterTradeIreland, former Chairman of the are premised on the assumption that Confederation of British Industry (NI) and there will be no change in Northern Group Chief Executive of United Dairy Ireland’s constitutional position during Farmers, the largest dairy company in the that time. “If you want to talk about North3; Laurence Crowley, co-Chair of things like a future industrial strategy, you the North/South Roundtable Group and have to have a political configuration in former Governor of the Bank of Ireland4; mind,” stresses Bradley. “And mine is that Maurice Healy, former Chairman of the for as long as we can see it, it would be Irish Business and Employers the present situation with Northern 21

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Stephen Kingon David Dobbin John Bradley

Ireland continuing effectively to be a wider community here in the North.” region of the UK, perhaps with slightly “It’s difficult to build up any great hatred more devolved powers.” for somebody you know, have regularly spoken to, and have done good business Starting from a strong base with,” stresses Laurence Crowley.

All interviewed agreed that North-South It is worth remembering that in the mid- economic and business cooperation over 1970s the Confederation of British the past decade and a half had been an Industry (CBI) in Northern Ireland and the unqualified success for Northern Ireland Federated Union of Employers (IBEC’s and for relations between the predecessor) in the Republic hardly dared governments and people of the two Irish to have even informal conversations, so jurisdictions. “It has helped to foster a dangerous was the climate of political more stable economic climate and has and sectarian violence in the North at the seen the unionist community in the time. Stephen Kingon emphasises the key North – and the population at large – role of business leaders in the process of feel much more comfortable about where rapprochement and normalisation of they sit in a special relationship both relations of more recent times, singling with the United Kingdom and Ireland,” out for particular mention the Joint says David Dobbin. Michael Smyth points Business Council of the CBI and IBEC, to “research done by formed in 1991, and the North/South PricewaterhouseCoopers in the 1980s Roundtable Group (NSRG), which dates which had detected a lack of trust from 2002. He points to the NSRG’s role between business in the two as a “catalyst” in helping to bring jurisdictions. Actually doing the together the most senior officials of the cooperation in the decades since has two economic departments, DETE in the definitely broken down the South and DETI in the North; in misconceptions and overcome the facilitating real engagement between mistrust, and the confidence-building Invest Northern Ireland, Enterprise Ireland that resulted has spilled over into the and InterTradeIreland; and in helping to 22

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develop cross-border conversations Irish government will have to be really between some of the most important creative to devise fiscal measures and business leaders on the island, men like economic development policies to deal Dermot Desmond, Gerry Robinson, with this difficult new situation,” says Denis O’Brien, Michael Smurfit and Stephen Kingon. A leading Southern Howard Hastings. businessman, Maurice Healy, agrees with him, noting that too many business There is also agreement that Ireland, people in the Republic think “we’ve North and South, is going into the made our money now” and don’t have to current recession on a stronger base – work again. As somebody who has good including a strong new North-South past experience of working with cooperation dimension – than during Northerners, he says he would now previous economic downturns in the prefer a Northern partner if he wanted to 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. “Ireland, expand his business because of their North and South, is a much wealthier “reliability and preparedness to work place, with much better infrastructure, a really hard to gain success.” stronger business and skills base, and historically low unemployment levels,” The Private Sector: Realities and notes David Dobbin. “So while we’re Opportunities seeing a significant deterioration, our absolute position is still well ahead of There is also agreement that both other regions of the world. We’ve got to jurisdictions are going to suffer badly understand that this correction-cum- from the recession. In the short-term the downturn isn’t going to last forever. Northern economy – with its large We’ve got to keep our nerve and focus subvention from the UK Exchequer, its on the same crucial things that are key dominant public sector, and its lower cost to long-term economic success – base emphasised by the slump in Sterling competitiveness, innovation and – would appear to be in a stronger international marketing – so that we are position than its Southern counterpart, prepared for the upturn when it comes.” one of the world’s most open economies and one that is heavily dependent on US On the other hand, several of those multinationals in two sectors: interviewed warned against the pharmaceuticals and ICT. “Getting complacency that has taken hold in the American multinationals to set up South in particular after more than a branches here and putting all our money decade of the . “They have into that has worked wonderfully, but walked on water for so long. There’s a now we’re going through a shake-out whole generation in the Republic who period, and there are going to be big have experienced nothing except benign shake-outs. We have gone for a very conditions. It’s going to take a culture polar economy, with most of the value change for them to face up to the added generated by these two sectors – severity of the recession. In addition, the it was a choice that worked spectacularly 23

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well for a time, but in the next few years, entrepreneurs – the North traditionally as the recession bites, it won’t work any has had more SMEs in manufacturing – more and we now have to find a new who will be driven by the need to survive industrial strategy model,” says to seek partners across the border.” economist John Bradley. From a business viewpoint, David Dobbin He is not confident that the kind of agrees. He sees his company’s area of people in the IDA who thought so operation – food products – as one that innovatively about such matters in the might be relatively recession-proof. But 1960s and 1970s are there any more to he too believes that in many areas – he help develop that new strategy. For him it instances electronics and healthcare – would involve not only supporting there are strong arguments for smaller indigenous Irish firms in the high-tech companies to overcome the recession by sectors – which Enterprise Ireland has linking with partners across the Irish been doing – but also breaking strongly border to develop and market new with the past by encouraging them to products. “Having the technology is not move back into more traditional enough – you have to have critical mass manufacturing sectors such as specialised to be able to compete globally. Both our food products, high quality footwear and economies are still very small in world clothing, furniture and so on. These are terms, so by exploiting some of your the kinds of areas other small European neighbour’s capability you may be able to countries like Denmark and Slovenia have compete with mainland Europe or the US made a success of – and there is where the scale is much larger because potentially an important all-island of their much larger domestic markets.” dimension to it. “My point is that in a He says InterTradeIreland will be period of serious world recession you’re continuing its “brokering service to not going to get anything in the FDI encourage that to happen. It’s likely we (Foreign Direct Investment) pipeline – are going to see consolidation in nothing very significant anyway, nothing business, and that consolidation can be that will replace the outflow of jobs to on an all-Ireland basis as well as within lower labour cost areas abroad – so you each jurisdiction.” have to turn to these neglected areas. And these are precisely the areas that Firms naturally become cautious during a will operate best on an all-island basis recession and turn inwards to because they’re usually run by small, concentrate on their core business, which level-headed, entrepreneurial business will do little or nothing for North-South people who are desperately looking to trade or business cooperation. Reducing survive at the moment. Northern Ireland costs becomes the key to survival and might be a little bit behind the South eventual recovery. However there are also currently because the true horror of the cross-border opportunities here. “Because recession has not dawned on them yet. of the strength of the euro against the But they must have many such small pound, there are now opportunities for 24

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Maurice Healy Laurence Crowley Michael Smyth

Southern Irish firms to look to the North He also emphasises the importance of as a low-cost supplier of raw materials, the various development agencies, and services, components and sub- their sponsoring government assembly,“says Dobbin. “I’d be saying to departments, North and South, working them that rather than get nervous about more closely together through the next cheaper consumer products in the North, few difficult years in order to ensure the they should look to the benefits there most cost-effective and affordable might be for business to use the North to programmes for companies with much source goods and services that until now less cash to spend – “so that we can they have sourced elsewhere in Europe, deliver the maximum bang for our buck and thus to improve their and make sure we don’t overlap and competitiveness. We’ve got to keep duplicate what we’re doing.” focussed on the trade opportunities from North-South economic cooperation. Stephen Kingon agrees that with Sterling We need to use the fact that there are now spectacularly undervalued compared two jurisdictions on the island as a to the euro – and labour and property competitive strength rather than costs making Belfast 30% cheaper than a threat.” Dublin and 50% cheaper than London – “there are real opportunities for Northern Dobbin believes there are North-South firms who look South.” However he trade opportunities even in the middle of worries at the “introspection” of many a serious recession. For example, firms, their reluctance to “dip their toes” InterTradeIreland has commissioned a into this attractive export market right on study to examine “areas of under- their doorstep. trading” between the two jurisdictions, which will compare trade across the Irish Southern shoppers flooding North to do border with other dynamic cross-border their Christmas shopping were making regions in Europe and further afield. “We the headlines at the time of these will be doing everything we can to interviews rather than export publicise opportunities and gaps in the opportunities for Northern businesses. relevant sectors.” 25

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Most of those interviewed saw this as a down the line in places like Northern temporary phenomenon, with the low Ireland. Northern Ireland will initially react Sterling rate eventually causing higher to this by saying ‘of course, we’re a prices for imported inputs in the North special case and the British will take care and Southern retailers being forced to of us’. But that’s not going to happen lower their prices to compete. They had this time.” little sympathy with the cries of pain from Southern politicians and retail However Bradley sees opportunities here interests. “I have no problem with too, with the recession forcing new Southern retailers getting a good thinking on cost-conscious governments. kicking,” says Maurice Healy. “Look at The Republic’s swingeing budget cuts border regions between France and have been well-documented. However it Germany, and Holland and Germany, won’t be too long before Northern where people adjust their spending habits government departments and public literally every week. What we need is an agencies too will have to look for ways ‘equalised’ market – we say we want to cut costs in a major way by such an equalised market in Europe, but eliminating inefficiencies in public we don’t have one on this island yet.” services, as the Southern system had to do under Finance Minister Ray McSharry The Public Sector: Realities and in the late 1980s and Brian Lenihan is Opportunities currently having to do again now. Some of those inefficiencies may be in The public finance situation currently duplicated services across the border that looks far worse in the South than the might be able to be integrated, in the North. But Dobbin warns against way that the influential InterTradeIreland complacency north of the border. Here report, the Comprehensive Study on the he sees the heavy dependency on the All-Island Economy, recommended in public sector – currently a cushion 20068. against the worst effects of the recession on employment – as a continuing More integrated cross-border health problem: “It’s likely that the current level services was an example cited by several of public expenditure will come under of those interviewed (and by the threat, particularly in Northern Ireland, Comprehensive Study). “We’ve got to when the recession ends, and the UK define the area of public sector Government has to pay for its present, cooperation as something that is very large Keynesian spend.” Bradley manifestly in our mutual interest now. agrees, noting that its stategy of boosting The seriousness of the recession can the UK economy through massive public precipitate new thinking in that sector”, spending and foreign borrowing, coupled says Bradley. “In health, for example, it with the very large amounts of money won’t be enough for Northerners to say – needed to capitalise the banks, will “lead ‘we’ve got a National Health Service and to a drastic squeeze on expenditure you’ve got a third world health service.’ 26

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Up to now that would have been the end Kingon cites other areas where Northern of the conversation. Now it’s only the Ireland can continue to gain from such beginning. As intelligent people, we’re cooperation. Energy cooperation on a going to have to start to find ways of small island, with the cross-border working around our separate health interconnector and the Single Electricity systems, which provide no integrated Market up and running, is an obvious provision in border regions or even any area where it makes eminent good sense integrated emergency provision. Financial to tackle the major problems of energy cutbacks will mean a serious reduction in security and finding alternative renewable the level of public services in this crucial energy sources together. The regulators area at the same time as there are major should be working more closely together inefficiencies, some of which we may be to eliminate distortions like the able to tackle on a cross-border basis, continuing mobile roaming charges in and tackle them in ways that are in our border areas. He also praises the opening mutual interest. This will be about saving of Irish government trade missions to money and desperately trying to hold Northern businesses, giving them access onto the present level of services. It will to a wide range of embassies and offices be a huge change from recent years abroad and to the considerable influence when nobody wanted to save money of the Irish diaspora worldwide. because we had money coming out of our ears.” Michael Smyth sees unfettered labour mobility as the principal avenue towards More broadly, Stephen Kingon says that an internationally competitive island given Ireland’s small size and the fact that economy. “I still believe that if you want “externally investors just see one island”, genuine cross-border economic it is particularly crucial that there cooperation, the island’s labour markets should be continued close cooperation have to become more integrated through between the governments on integrating the currency, tax and social infrastructure. “You can’t solve the insurance systems. Even if such problems of Derry without Donegal and integration is viewed by some unionists vice versa. How do you package the as some kind of code for takeover, the north western region for Foreign Direct benefits of being part of a single market Investment without taking in the whole both on the island of Ireland and more region from Coleraine to Letterkenny? broadly in Europe should override such The same thing, to a lesser extent, goes petty territorial issues.” for the Fermanagh-Sligo-Mayo region. We need to package the whole island if Training and Higher Education we are going to tackle the regional disparities. The peripherality of the west Training is another area under the control has to be dealt with on a cross-border of the Northern Ireland Executive where basis if you’re going to counter the David Dobbin would like to see increased accusation that we’re only interested in inter-governmental cooperation. “We’re the big conurbations: Belfast going to see a very slack labour market, and Dublin.”

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with levels of unemployment we haven’t mirrored in the South, I’d be saying seen for some time. But we don’t want that here is an opportunity for people to emigrate from the island again universities throughout the island to take because of lack of opportunities at home. on more research and product Both governments are going to have to development activity.” ensure in particular that the output of graduates is supported by state- He noted that InterTradeIreland last year sponsored training. Currently we’re issued a report on research and seeing a big reduction in both graduate technological development centres on recruitment and training in companies of the island of Ireland9. “Let’s build on that all sizes. My big fear would that we to create a pipeline of research and would see a two-three year period where development projects which could be there would be high graduate harvestable as innovative new products in unemployment and probably graduate two-three years when we come out of emigration. What we need to do is to the recession. Universities are going to learn the lessons of the past and make have to do more economically relevant sure we don’t lose our brightest and best research. Let’s use this period for young people. State investment in increasing collaboration between training is needed to do that, and it universities and business, and indeed would be very modest indeed when between the universities themselves, on compared to the money governments are an all-island basis with the aim of trying putting into the banking sector.” He to create some intellectual property stresses that here, as in so many leading to competitive benefits. Because economy-related areas, it is vital that the lead time to create such research- “both governments should be based products is measured in years, coordinating what they are doing to hopefully if we can get our bright young ensure that there is a consistent people staying on in areas such as approach and that separate government nanotechnology, electronics and policies don’t lead to further distortions healthcare, they are going eventually on the island.” increase the island’s exploitable output.”

One area where Dobbin would be keen Future visions to see much more North-South cooperation is in university-business All of those interviewed were asked to collaboration. “With a very weak job look beyond the present recession to market, more graduates are choosing to how the ‘island of Ireland’ economy stay in university and get postgraduate might look in 2025. Their ideas ranged qualifications like MBAs and PhDs. This is from immediate, hard-headed, practical a sensible move, based on the hope that measures to visionary versions of when they eventually emerge from enormously enhanced cooperation. All higher education there will be a better stressed the long-term nature of the economic landscape. If this trend is cross-border cooperation process in 29

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Business and political leaders at the spring 2008 meeting in Belfast of the IBEC-CBI Joint Business Council. From left to right: Mr Tom Noonan, incoming IBEC President; Mr Brian Ambrose, Chairman, CBI Northern Ireland; First Minister Dr Ian Paisley; Mr Len O'Hagan, Chairman, Belfast Harbour Commissioners; Deputy First Minister Mr Martin McGuinness, and Mr Maurice Healy, outgoing IBEC President.

Ireland. “Now that the political ice has By 2025 he would like to see Northern melted, we should have the confidence Ireland as part of a United Kingdom to say that it makes all kinds of social which had joined the euro at a and economic sense to begin to share competitive rate which would benefit its where that sharing is to the benefit of trading economy. And he hopes that by both societies,” says Michael Smyth. that time InterTradeIreland, as a “But that’s not going to happen in the government agency dedicated to short term. There will be powerful promoting cross-border trade and distractions in the short term, like the business development, would no longer present recession, but that must be the be necessary: “We would have optimum long-term goal.” trade flows and business cooperation on the island without having to consciously David Dobbin says he would like to see make them happen. North-South an island where “North-South trade business cooperation would be so normal would happen as if it were a single that we wouldn’t need a body to support jurisdiction” and public utilities and it.” This would be in the wider context of transport would display the kind of the UK and Ireland continuing the “seamless arrangement where the visitor mutually beneficial process of recent would travel across the island and would years of becoming aligned more closely see different regional characteristics but to become “important allies on the one very joined-up arrangement.” European and global scene.” 30

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Stephen Kingon would like to see a small labour markets almost starts with the number of truly world class all-island coordination of higher and vocational centres of excellence up and thriving well education.” More immediately, he would before 2025. “Given the talent pool we like to see the Belfast-Dublin rail link are producing on the island, North and upgraded again – “there must be a South, such knowledge-based industries serious threat to the long-term viability of must the way forward, and perhaps by the already loss-making Enterprise when working together we can make one and the completion of the new road around one equal three.” He suggests a Global Newry further reduces the driving time Biometrics Centre and a Renewables and between the two cities. If it takes less Green Energy Centre. He also wants time to drive between the island’s two more support to be given to main cities than to go by train, there is entrepreneurs trying to ‘productivise’ ICT something radically wrong.” ideas, such as the products to manage business risk in the financial services John Bradley hopes that by 2025 the UK sector currently being developed by the will be using the euro and be inside the highly successful Newry-based company, Schengen area. “By then we will either First Derivatives. have filled out our indigenous manufacturing sector so that it looks He would also like Ireland to have more like Denmark than Singapore – and become the European base for “a whole we’ll be doing that in the context of an raft of what I call ‘mid-tier’ US medical island economy, with Northern Ireland devices companies with billion dollar still a constitutional region of the UK – or turnovers whose worlds end currently on else we’ll have fallen down the ladder the east or west coasts of America”. He massively and will be looking for aid also gives the example of middle-sized from countries like Poland and Slovenia.” pharmaceutical firms which now have to In the shorter-term, he would like to see wait for up to 10 years to get Food and Northern Ireland embracing a truly Drugs Administration approval for new innovative and pioneering proposal such drugs in the US, whereas if they had a as marketing itself as “the only part of research and development centre in the UK in the euro zone” in order to Ireland they could ‘parallel track’ their encourage foreign investment and product approvals and get a European tourism, thus blazing the trail for the rest Union CE mark in two-four years. of the UK – “when you’re dealing with people like the DUP and you do it Michael Smyth would like to see the two incrementally, they will fight you jurisdictions’ social insurance and tax incrementally, whereas if you lob in a systems more closely integrated to really imaginative proposal, who knows, encourage labour mobility. “Greater they might buy it.” coordination between the two higher and further education systems would be Maurice Healy has an ambitious shopping pivotal – the coordination of the two list of what he’d like to see by 2025. 31

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These include a unified VAT and and employers organisation on the Corporation Tax regime; a merger of IDA, island. Finally, he would like to see Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland, North and South, setting up an Ireland to produce one all-island agency to learn from the great success of industrial promotion body; a fully family-run SME businesses in the US, and integrated higher education system, how such businesses can evolve into aiming to make the island one of the philanthropic concerns. world’s leading destinations for overseas students; an all-island skills development Laurence Crowley’s main hopes are for a agency; an all-island ports logistics “virtually if not totally identical regulatory development plan; a Single Energy Policy system” in the two parts of the island for that uses a mixture of renewables and utilities and business, “so that the free nuclear energy; a common employment movement of goods and services is really law regime; an agreed all-island a fact of life”; “a place where the infrastructural development plan which personal tax system is harmonised to the would have been implemented as the extent that it wouldn’t matter whether island emerged from the 2008-2011 you were working in Armagh or Athy in recession; and a single merged business terms of where and how you paid your 32

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taxes”; the rationalisation of health and Cost-conscious governments might be higher education on an all-island basis; able to deliver services – for example, in and overall “a change in mindsets so that health – more effectively in the border whatever you call this island of two region through greater cross-border jurisdictions, we will be able to think of it cooperation. Higher education and all as one – not politically, but training are areas where joint economically.” opportunities and mutual learning should be capitalised on during the period of Conclusion high unemployment facing both parts of the island. All those interviewed agreed that both Irish jurisdictions are going to suffer badly It was pointed out that at a time of during the recession. The South as a international recession the Foreign Direct more open economy with seriously Investment pipeline largely freezes, so deteriorating public finances would suffer there are very few large scale investors more in the short-term. But the North coming in to replace the outflow of jobs should not be complacent given that in to lower cost locations. A high-cost but the medium-term the British government low-tax Republic of Ireland might be able will be seeking to pay back its present to offset some of its current competitive very large borrowings by raising taxes disadvantages by joining a lower-cost and squeezing public expenditure, and Northern Ireland to attract investors who this time Northern Ireland is unlikely to want different things from different be viewed as a special case. places, and might still be tempted by finding them on the same small English- However despite the encroaching gloom speaking island inside the European of serious economic downturn, the tone Union. Several of those interviewed of the interviews was largely positive and stressed the importance of the upbeat: the consensus was that a fully development agencies in the two Irish functioning ‘island economy’ across two jurisdictions working more closely in the political jurisdictions in Ireland would immediate future, overcoming the continue to make sound business and understandable tendency to see the other economic sense. None of the six as ‘the enemy’ in order to maximise the interviewees saw the recession as limited inward investment flows to the reversing this necessary development in island. However there are also the medium or long-term. On the opportunities for indigenous companies contrary, there was a belief that there with good ideas led by hard-headed were real cross-border opportunities for entrepreneurs, whether in high tech areas business people in the midst of the like ICT and healthcare or more current difficulties. Businesses in the traditional areas like high class food, South should look to the cheaper North clothing and furniture products. In both to help enhance their competitiveness. jurisdictions “exploiting some of your 33

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neighbour’s capability” – in David competitiveness and prosperity. Dobbin’s words – could help smaller firms compete internationally. Andy Pollak is director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies. He was Those interviewed were particularly formerly a senior journalist with The hopeful when they looked forward to Irish Times. 2025. They foresaw both parts of Ireland in the Euro; seamless infrastructure Michael D’Arcy is a Dublin-based across the island; genuine all-Ireland economic and business consultant labour markets assisted by more with a strong interest in cross- integrated tax and social insurance border cooperation with Northern systems; higher and vocational education Ireland. Since the early 1990s he has and training being truly coordinated; provided independent advice and state support for North-South economic analysis on the challenges presented cooperation being no longer necessary as by North-South business optimum trade flows and business development. He is the Joint cooperation happened by themselves; Facilitator of the North/South and – in Laurence Crowley’s pithy Roundtable Group and was co-editor summing up – “a change in mindsets so of Border Crossings: Developing that whatever you call this island of two Ireland’s island economy (Gill and jurisdictions, we will be able to think of it MacMillan, 1995). all as one – not politically, but economically.”

It is accepted wisdom that forward- looking sentiment and confidence in the future play a key role in engendering dynamism in national economies. At a time when few of our leaders or commentators seem to have much idea about how Ireland will look the other side of the current recession (and there is even alarming talk of collapse and calamity), it is cheering to find a group of level-headed business leaders and economists on both sides of the border who are optimistic that further moves towards an ‘island economy’ can play a significant role in moving Ireland out of its present predicament and on to the next stage of economic enterprise, 34

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REFERENCES

1 For example, Michael D’Arcy and Tim Dickson (eds), Border Crossings: Developing Ireland’s island economy. Dublin: Gill and MacMillan, 1995 2 Interviewed on 27 November 2008 3 Interviewed on 19 December 2008 4 Interviewed on 10 December 2008 5 Interviewed on 10 December 2008 6 Interviewed on 17 December 2008 7 Interviewed on 11 December 2008 8 Comprehensive Study on the All-Island Economy, InterTradeIreland, October 2006 9 Mapping Study of Research and Technological Development Centres on the Island of Ireland, InterTradeIreland, February 2008 35

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CROSS-BORDER BANKING IN AN ERA OF FINANCIAL CRISIS: EU RULES NEED NOT APPLY

Patricia Clarke and Ray Kinsella

A well-functioning financial services industry, incorporating the banking sector, is vital for the competiveness of any economy1. The integration of Europe’s financial services has been a major objective of EU policies for many years. As a result of the introduction of the euro, technological innovation and Patricia Clarke Ray Kinsella the reduction of regulatory barriers to cross-border activities, cross-border banking in the EU now accounts for over 24% of banking activity2. This paper looks at cross-border co-operation in banking from two perspectives: firstly at the high-level EU and cross- border issues that have surfaced in response to the current global financial crisis, and secondly at the bottom-up practicalities of customers living on the island of Ireland who need to bank in both jurisdictions. These perspectives, while seemingly miles apart, are closely intertwined, since the development of cross-border banking services on the island, to the extent that they have happened at all, have been driven largely by EU policies.

In Ireland the UK and Irish banking border with another EU state, and its systems operate side by side. There are prosperity in the global economy is significant differences in banking, north increasingly impacted by its interactions and south of the border, including two with the Republic of Ireland. different currency regimes, different management systems and regulatory The four big banks in the Republic of regimes encompassing financial stability Ireland (, Allied Irish Bank, and consumer protection. Despite these Ulster Bank and National Irish Bank) all differences there are compelling reasons have sister companies in Northern Ireland why cross-border banking services on the (Bank of Ireland, First Trust Bank, Ulster island should be feasible. Northern Bank and Northern Bank). The last two of Ireland is unique relative to the other these in each jurisdiction are owned by regions of the UK in that it shares a land international banking groups, Royal Bank 36

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of Scotland (RBS) and activities. Most of these directives had respectively. Discussions with senior bank been implemented by the mid-1990s. and consumer organisation officials who have extensive experience of working on At the Lisbon summit in March 2000 EU both sides of the Irish border have heads of government signed up to an highlighted the huge potential for ambitious programme designed to delivering better and more competitive achieve a single market in financial cross-border services by these banks, all services by 2005. The Financial Services of which have “a knowledge of the Action Plan 1995-2005 (FSAP) appeared North-South economy written in their to lay strong foundations by putting in DNA, with the added benefit of being place a largely harmonised set of owned by very large international groups financial regulations with a that bring different models and ideas to complementary implementation the table”3. structure4. This brings together all European banking supervisors and Cross-border banking: top down relevant agencies within the Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS), Since the implementation of the Single a body established in 2004 to advise the European Act in 1986, the EU banking European Commission on banking policy industry has been subject to a gradual and to promote cooperation and process of deregulation and convergence of supervisory practice harmonisation in order to achieve a across the European Union. single European banking market. This has opened up domestic banking sectors and However the CEBS is merely an advisory created more cross-border activity as well body with no decision-making powers. It as greater competition, with the aim of fronts a complex voluntary arrangement achieving a more efficient banking sector of interlocking national authorities, at across the continent. least nine EU-level committees and over 80 bilateral agreements. It is estimated EU directives were agreed to guarantee that the extent of this continent-wide equal regulatory treatment of foreign fragmentation adds 15% to the cost of banks by national authorities, provision of Europe’s banking supervision.5 The EU financial services across borders by White Paper on Financial Services 2005- financial intermediaries, home country 2010 outlines the extensive efforts that control of banking supervision and home are still needed to achieve a true EU country implementation of bank solvency single European banking market. requirements. The EU Council also passed regulations to liberalise cross-border A key indicator of the importance of capital flows and harmonise regulations cross-border banking activity in the EU is across member countries that cover the emergence of large cross-border capital adequacy, credit exposure and banking groups. Such financial banks’ participation in non-finance integration can be a major driver of 37

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Irish Minister of Finance, Mr Brian Lenihan TD pursued by the media in the middle of the financial crisis. Photo by Brenda Fitzsimons, Irish Times economic development, permitting in 2004, Unicredit of Italy buying HVB of economies of scale in information Germany in 2005 and a consortium of technology, risk management systems, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Banco marketing and branding, greater risk- Santander and Fortis of the Netherlands sharing between countries, and allowing buying ABN AMRO of the Netherlands in capital to be moved across borders to the 2007. The has most productive users6. However financial calculated that just 16 bank groups integration also brings with it the account for one third of EU bank assets, downside risk of vulnerability to volatility with each holding on average 38% of in capital markets. The vigorous defence their EU assets outside their home by the EU Courts of a competitive countries7. This consolidation has also internal market in successive legal cases reached Ireland. In 2005 Danske Bank involving Portugal (1999), Germany Group, the largest bank in Denmark and (2004), Italy (2005) and Poland (2006) a leading player in Scandinavian financial has incentivised banks to centrally markets, acquired the National Irish Bank manage operations that take place in in the Republic and the Northern Bank in different countries. Northern Ireland.

The most significant of these cross- Ten years have passed since 11 of the border deals have been Banco Santander EU’s member-states swapped their of Spain buying Abbey National of Britain national currencies for the euro, which 38

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have failed to produce an EU-wide plan in the face of the international banking collapse.

The Credit Crunch

The financial crisis of 2007-2009, initially referred to in the media as the ‘Credit Crunch’, first became evident in July 2007 when a loss of confidence by investors in the value of securitised8 mortgages in the US resulted in a liquidity crisis that prompted a substantial injection of capital into financial markets by the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank. quickly became the world’s second Banks lend more money than they hold currency behind the dollar. At the end of in deposits and they rely on a steady 2008, the currency was trading at an all- supply of loans from the financial time high on foreign exchange markets markets to run their daily business and against the US dollar and the pound maintain their liquidity. Nowhere is this Sterling. The eurozone has now embraced truer than in the Republic of Ireland, 16 member states, with Slovakia the where consumer debt currently stands at most recent to join on 1st January 2009. 180% of disposable income (the figure is While Ireland is in the eurozone, the UK 172% for the island as a whole), held fast to Sterling, thus imposing a compared to 140% in the US and 101% currency barrier between the two parts in Germany. Simply put, people in of the island. As arguably the world’s Ireland have been living well beyond most important financial centre, the City their means. of London – and the UK Government on its behalf – have always bristled when This huge indebtedness – leading to very other countries have tried to impose EU- severe liquidity problems – found its first wide norms and controls on its activities. victim in these islands in Northern Rock, a major British bank with branches on All these EU achievements happened both sides of the Irish border. In during a period of remarkable stability in September 2007 the bank sought and Europe’s financial markets, a stability that received a liquidity support facility (an has disappeared dramatically in the past injection of cash) from the Bank of 12 months. Despite all the painstaking England, following problems in the credit work of harmonisation and consolidation markets. News of this led to investor of the past 20 years and more, it has panic, with thousands of customers been striking how totally the EU’s leaders queuing outside branches to withdraw 39

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their savings. Eventually, in February committed g 1,873 billion, or about 15% 2008, the British Government took the of the GDP of the EU15 (the EU bank into state ownership, pledging to countries before its 2004 enlargement), reimburse depositors in full if it went to national bail-out plans in one form bankrupt. The cross-border aspect was or another. very much to the fore with Brian Cowen, then the Irish Finance Minister, reassuring In particular, coordinated inter- Northern Rock's customers in the governmental action was urgently needed Republic of Ireland that the British to shore up two big cross-border banks, Government's pledge to guarantee all Fortis and Dexia in the Benelux countries deposits included them. However there and France. In this case, fears that cross- was always the possibility that in the border action would not be mobilised case of the guarantee being called in, the fast enough to be effective proved UK Chancellor of the Exchequer would unfounded. On 28 September 2008 fail to reimburse the bank’s g 2.4 billion Fortis, the first of Europe’s big cross- deposits in the Republic and the Irish border banks to founder, was rescued taxpayer would end up contributing to when the governments of Belgium, the bailing out the UK bank. Northern Rock's Netherlands and Luxembourg – the three problems proved to be an early indication countries where it had its main business of that would soon befall – came together, partially nationalised other banks and financial institutions. the bank, and shored up its balance sheet with a capital injection of g11.2 In September 2008, exactly one year to billion. However rather than working out the day after the Northern Rock collapse, a cross-border solution, the three the free flow of capital that underpins countries essentially carved up the bank the world economy came to a into their national chunks and each dealt shuddering stop with the bankruptcy of with their own part. Two days later Lehman Brothers, a major US financial Belgium and France (with a bit of help institution, and the crumbling of several from Luxembourg) injectedg 6.4 billion European banks that relied on it for into Dexia bank, one of the world's funding. Banks wavered in Britain, largest lenders to local governments. Ireland, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Iceland There were no agreed EU rules on early and within a one week period five banks intervention and remedial action if a in seven countries had been bailed out or major problem like this emerged across culled. By mid October the US’s the European banking sector. There had Emergency Economic Stabilisation Act been no building of cooperative had approved a $700 billion plan to regulatory infrastructure that would remove bad debts from the American intervene in a coordinated manner in the banking system by “creating a dumping event of an EU banking system collapse. ground for banks to hive off toxic This failure to match moves towards a assets”, while EU governments had single EU banking market with an 40

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accompanying single EU regulatory proposal to create a pool of money to institution became painfully apparent as ‘undergrid’ all the banks in EU member the continent faced into the international countries. Germany vetoed the idea for financial crisis. The debates about what fear that German taxpayers would be left to do to tackle that crisis remained paying for other countries’ failures. overwhelmingly national. Instead countries were left to deal with the crisis on their own. Some analysts9 UK versus Irish bank rescue plans have suggested that Ireland led the way for Europe by “just getting on with it and The problem of individual countries intervening without too many questions.” taking uncoordinated national action in Subsequently each country acted in its the face of the growing emergency also own perceived self-interest, and in doing affected Ireland. On 30 September 2008 so threatened to exacerbate the crisis in the Republic of Ireland was one of the other countries. On 1 October 2008 the first European countries to react to the European Commission proposed collapse of the US Lehman Brothers with tightening the rules governing how much a radical g 485 billion scheme to capital banks should hold and improving guarantee the liabilities of its six largest co-operation between national banking financial institutions. This action, regulators. Belated calls for the creation representing an underwriting of more of a single European financial regulator than twice the country’s annual gross who would watch over the continent’s domestic product (GDP), was extended biggest banks, and a pan-European bail- two days later to cover foreign-owned out fund to rescue them, grew louder. banks with significant operations in Ireland, mainly British banks. The Irish On 8 October 2008 the British plan angered the UK and other EU Government announced a rescue package countries who feared that cash would totalling £500 billion which was designed drain out of their financial institutions to restore confidence in the UK banking and into banks and building societies in system. This plan went much further than Ireland. However the EU Commission the earlier Irish announcement which had gave its approval to the Irish plan as sought to restore confidence in the Irish being proportionate and necessary, and banking system without injecting state liaised with the Irish and UK capital. The UK Government agreed to Governments to minimise any inject £50 billion into the major banks in uncompetitive effects. exchange for large equity stakes which it aimed to use to put pressure on them Ireland’s action could be seen as rational to ease lending to businesses in some regard: the Irish Government and consumers. realised that it could not count on collective action by the EU and took pre- Some coordinated EU action was emptive measures. Immediately before eventually achieved. On 12 October the Irish decision, the EU had discussed a French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in his

42

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role as head of the EU Presidency, AIB – caused by brokered a deal for EU governments to nationalisation of Anglo-Irish Bank in pay into a g 2,000 billion bank rescue January 2009 after its chairman resigned package involving interbank guarantees over g 122 million in hidden personal and recapitalisation worth g360 billion in loans – have restricted their ability to France,g 480 billion in Germany and raise additional capital on the open g382 billion in the UK. Because of the market. At time of writing (10th poor state of Ireland’s public finances, it February), the Irish Government is still was unable to contribute to this EU involved in difficult negotiations with AIB package. During the previous week the and Bank of Ireland on a new plan to European Central Bank had joined with inject a total of g 7 billion in state capital the UK, the US and other central banks into the two banks. in a coordinated reduction of interest rates. In the following week the The nationalisation of Anglo-Irish came European Commission introduced amid reports that the British Government legislation to raise bank guarantees for may move to create a ‘bad bank’ to depositors throughout the EU to a manage toxic debt held by the British minimum of g 50,000 immediately, rising banks, a development that would put the to g100,000 within a year. Irish Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan under pressure to follow suit. This In the initial aftermath of the Irish bank concept of a ‘bad bank’ is based on the guarantee Irish share prices rallied. Swedish experience of the early 1990s. However the Irish Government may have Banks would be forced to identify their missed the opportunity to reap the ’toxic’ or largely non-repayable loans, benefits of this early intervention by which would then be siphoned off into a failing to recapitalise its banks new government-owned ‘bad bank’. The immediately. Instead it watched other cleansed commercial banks could then countries recapitalising their banks, and recapitalise themselves while the ‘bad waited until 21 December 2008 to bank’ gradually disposes of the announce a g 5.5 billion Irish rescue problematic loans. In mid-January the UK package for its own ‘big three’: Bank of Government's second attempt to bolster Ireland, AlB and Anglo-Irish Bank. The the UK's banks with an insurance scheme terms of this package were considered to to cover bad debts and a £50 billion fund be substantially better for the banks and to allow the Bank of England to lend their shareholders than the equivalent UK money directly to businesses, led only to rescue deal10, but more costly for the Irish another plunge in UK share prices. taxpayer who will ultimately foot the bill. In return the Government sought greater The Irish plan focussed on reassuring commitments that they would increase depositors and shareholders while the their lending to consumers, homebuyers initial UK plan prioritised capitalisation. and small businesses. However sharp falls The existence of these two divergent in the share prices of Bank of Ireland and approaches on the island has created 43

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friction. A third, later approach of the outs were required. The document, European Central Bank and the Bank of which came into effect in June 2008, England focussed on improving liquidity. called on countries to consider creating “cross-border stability groups” building A new bank for a new age? on existing supervisory networks such as those that operate between Belgium and Recent events have revealed a huge gap the Netherlands to monitor cross-border between the EU’s highly developed single banks. However this MOU proved market, single currency and interest rate worthless as a tool to deal with the regimes and its lack of any common emerging crisis. financial regulatory authority for cross- border banking, or common capacity to In Ireland, the co-author of this article, address European banks’ massive liquidity Professor Ray Kinsella, has put forward a and recapitalisation problems. Although plan to harvest something positive from the EU’s banks operate almost the ashes of the banking disaster11. In uninhibited by national boundaries, their December 2008 the Taoiseach, Brian regulation is still a matter for national Cowen, launched the Framework for governments. Regulators in a country Sustainable Economic Renewal12 hosting the operations of a bank from outlining government actions that will another member state may have little drive the restructuring of the economy in idea of its health. Those in its home the longer term. It aims to develop the country may have little interest in what island of Ireland as the world’s leading happens abroad if its foreign location for business innovation by operations fail. investing heavily in research and development. One weakness of this The lack of any pan-European mechanism approach is the glaring need for a bank to deal with the insolvency of financial which understands R&D and provides the institutions has been recognised by the medium term sustained support for European Commission. Laws governing innovation that is not available through failed banks differ markedly from country the venture capital route. No government to country, no common definition of would envisage building its own bank, insolvency exists and there is no common but one potentially positive by-product of rule to determine when a bank should be the financial crisis is that the Irish closed. In April 2008 European finance government now owns one: Anglo-Irish ministers had taken a tentative first step Bank. This bank, believes Professor by signing a memorandum of Kinsella, could now be refocussed as a understanding (MOU) that bound specialist provider supporting a national authorities to favour private diversified portfolio of high technology sector rescues where possible, and urged products. A financial institution which is them to decide in advance who would currently seen as a metaphor for failed foot the bill for banks that operate in and even corrupt banking practices could more than one country if national bail- be reinvented to provide the tailored 44

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trickle down to individual customers. There is no bank which offers a truly cross-border personal banking service and there are few incentives to develop such services in the foreseeable future.

Documentation on the actual practice of individuals banking across a national border is hard to find. In 2001 the access to credit and capital markets on North/South Ministerial Council which a sustainable knowledge economy commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers in the whole island could be built. and Indecon Economic Consultants to carry out a comprehensive study of Cross-border banking: bottom-up obstacles to mobility between the two parts of Ireland. This study looked at a Border areas are key places to examine broad range of obstacles, including the manifestation, good or bad, of EU financial practices, which hinder or policy for ordinary citizens. Reviewing constrain people from moving across the retail cross-border banking – where banks border in either direction to live and interact directly with their customers – work. The report outlined the across the UK-Irish border provides clear significantly higher bank charges for examples of how the EU Single Market cross-border transactions than for exerts its influence at a local level. transactions within the same jurisdiction. It also described the practice of frontier The EU has secured only limited workers (people who live in one integration within the retail financial jurisdiction and commute to work in the sector. In theory existing EU legislation, other jurisdiction on a regular basis) who such as the second Banking Directive operate dual bank accounts, preferring to which came into force in 1993, should access their money through cash permit banks to compete across borders. machines in the other jurisdiction rather However substantial obstacles remain and than formally transferring funds. It the EU banking landscape remains portrayed the difficulties in accessing enormously inefficient. Banks find it mortgage or other types of loans from difficult to offer similar products, such as their ‘home’ bank, because a regular personal bank accounts or mortgages, in employment income kept in an account different countries because of in the sister bank in the other jurisdiction incompatible national laws or consumer was not regarded as providing adequate protection rules. The tax treatment of security. Eight years later very little seems financial products also varies widely. In to have changed, with the majority of practice subsidiaries of banks are that report’s banking recommendations consolidated only on the balance sheet, remaining unimplemented. and although there is organisation-wide In June 2007 the Centre for Cross Border risk management, the benefits do not 45

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Studies organised a study day on cross- business in euros is as easy across border personal banking which further European borders as within a single illuminated the experience of individuals country has been on the EU agenda since who bank in both jurisdictions on the the introduction of the euro in January island of Ireland. At this event banking 1999. The European Commission has issues were presented by representatives already forced a certain level of of Ulster Bank and National Irish Bank harmonisation by requiring banks, from and consumer experiences by officials of January 2002, to charge no more for the General Consumer Council of fund transfers of up to g 12,500 across Northern Ireland and the Consumers the Eurozone than they do for domestic Association of Ireland. Follow-on transfers. Since January 2006 this rule discussions included representatives from has been applied for payments of up to all the main banks (except the Bank of g50,000. Ireland), the Irish Banking Federation, citizens advice bodies, the European This regulation had a dramatic effect on Consumer Centre (Dublin), the cross-border charges, bringing down the North/South Ministerial Council and average cost for transferringg100 from people from business and community g 17.37 in 2001 tog2.46 in 200314. But organisations in the border region. it failed to create a true SEPA with the banks simply absorbing the cost of The general consensus was that the compliance. practicalities of banking across the Irish border are still onerous. There are some By the end of 2010 the European examples of EU policies on the creation Commission wants domestic payment of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) procedures to be phased out, leaving and the competitiveness of the EU only a fully harmonised Europe-wide internal market improving cross-border version. The intended final phase is the banking for citizens of the island. establishment by 2012 of a legal However the difficulties of arranging framework for the provision of direct mortgages, and regulations concerned debit services across borders, allowing a with identifying clients prior to doing company or utility in one country to business with them (i.e. the EU ‘Know draw funds directly from a bank account Your Own Customer’ regulation), could of a customer in another jurisdiction. be much better applied to serve the Given that the credit crisis has focussed mobile island population. These issues attention far more on achieving a new are examined below. EU cross-border regulatory framework, we can expect to see these timescales Single Euro Payments Area for creating SEPA postponed.

Creating a Single Euro Payments Area In October 2008 the North/South (SEPA) where making payments, Ministerial Council sought to publish collecting on invoices or running a comparative fees for transferring small 46

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amounts of money across the Irish is that of the Danske Bank Group16, border. The variation in fees and the which moved into both Irish jurisdictions opaque nature of responses from the in 2005 when it acquired the National seven banks on the island are available Irish Bank in the Republic of Ireland and for viewing on Border People website the Northern Bank in Northern Ireland. It (www.borderpeople.info). While the remains the only bank on the island to SEPA policy does little to facilitate proactively target the cross-border banking between the euro system in the population. South and the Sterling system in the North, it is neverthless hoped that a fully Over the past 17 years Danske Bank has functioning SEPA within the present gone from being a Scandinavian bank Eurozone would act as a catalyst for operating in Denmark, Sweden and accelerated economic integration and Norway, to a northern European ‘regional thus put additional pressure on the UK to champion’ with retail banking services join the euro. and holdings in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ireland, Northern Furthermore the financial crisis has Ireland, and the Baltic countries. During demonstrated the ‘safe haven’ 2004 Danske Bank sought to develop an advantages of euro membership15. There exportable strategy that could be is little doubt that Ireland would have implemented in all of the companies that been like Iceland in suffering a it acquired. A common set of financial catastrophic foreign exchange crisis in practices, policies and human resource 2008 if it had retained its national strategies was developed that could currency. This has fuelled further transfer across borders. suggestions that the steep fall in the value of the pound could help overcome The Scandinavian banks are at the the British public’s hostility to euro forefront of developing Internet banking, membership. The Danish and Swedish and in April 2006 National Irish Bank governments have begun preparing the (NIB) and the Northern Bank migrated to ground for referendums on joining the the Danske Group’s single technology euro, as part of a huge reversal of platform which services all the group’s political opinion across Europe’s northern banks. This core system holds everything periphery in favour of the single currency. to do with the customer accounts – the payment system, the credit approval Welcome to Scandinavia system, the risk system, the audit system – on one central IT platform. The During the 2007 CCBS study day advantages of this approach are that any discussions the two consumer changes to the core system are associations attributed any improvement automatically made available to all banks in cross-border customers’ situation vis-à- within the group at the same time. For vis the Irish banks to the injection of instance, in 2008, when the Danske fresh competition. One obvious example Group upgraded its technology platform 47

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to incorporate the services of its newly acquired Sampo Bank, NIB and Northern Bank customers had access to the benefits enjoyed by customers in Finland. This ‘one group/one platform’ philosophy is cited as a particular strength of Danske Bank and one of particular relevance to cross-border banking. to Northern Bank). Customers now only pay the currency exchange rates. In the In Ireland the Danske Group placed a past prohibitive pricing of cross-border strategic focus on staff development and electronic transfers and drafts meant that began an extensive programme of people who worked in one jurisdiction investment in training and technology. In and lived in the other had to withdraw the first three years following the merger cash from their salaried account, carry it there have been 6,000 training days for across the border and manually lodge it National Irish Bank staff alone, to an account in their ‘home’ jurisdiction supplemented by mandatory e-learning to pay household bills. People who could modules to be completed from home on not access a bank in their ‘home’ the laptops brought for staff by the bank. jurisdiction during working hours tended Approximately a third of the bank staff to post a cheque to a named banking have been sent to Denmark to develop official in their ‘home’ bank to lodge a better understanding of the operations money in their account. The Danske there. Changes initiated for customers Group’s free online service represents a include sophisticated and secure Internet large advance in providing banking banking facilities with new functions for services for the mobile population on personal customers, including trading the island. access to stock exchanges around the world, SMS text alerts, 4-in-1 Maestro However one issue raised at the Study debit cards which can be used in euro or Day was the poor broadband penetration Sterling zones, and telephone advice in Southern border counties and very low supplied by a contact centre staffed by Internet banking take-up in Northern trained bank employees. Ireland, which is attributed to fears about online security17. The Danske Group used technology first developed to facilitate free electronic Mortgages and regulations transfers between Sweden and Norway to enable Irish customers to move their There are also examples of EU policies money freely across the border. The that have either failed to consider cross- previous charges were £12 for North to border populations or have made cross- South transfers (Northern Bank to NIB) border personal banking more difficult and g10 for South to North transfers (NIB across the Irish border. In its 2005 proposal on harmonising consumer 48

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finance, the European Commission lines of a code introduced by the UK excluded the development of pan- Financial Services Authority in 2004. European mortgages from the package. Banks have objected that harmonising Under the EU-wide ‘Know Your mortgage practices across Europe may be Customer’ anti-money laundering counterproductive, given that national initiative, bankers are required to demand housing markets have different photographic proof of identity and proof characteristics, including financing and of address before any customer opens a taxation. For example, the Irish tax system new bank account. A customer who lives promotes ownership of housing. in one jurisdiction and works in the other Households are allowed a tax deduction must produce this documentation each on mortgage interest payments, while time she or he wants to open an there is no tax on property and only account. Currently, as a matter of good limited taxation of capital gains on practice, banks within the same sister residential property. The 2008 Irish group provide informal introductions Budget reduced stamp duty on houses by telephone to ‘smooth’ the process and increased mortgage interest relief. of opening an account in the Generous tax provisions in the recent other jurisdiction. past have certainly encouraged the dangerously unsustainable spiral in Irish Consumer protection house prices in recent years. There are key differences in consumer Similarly the UK approach to the housing protection approaches, North and South. market is also geared towards home For example, consumers in the North ownership, where most other European have strongly embedded regulations and markets have much greater levels of long policies. The Consumer Council for term rental. Even the development of a Northern Ireland can refer a ‘market European personal loan, a basic credit place’ to the UK Office of Fair Trading, arrangement which should have easy-to- which in turn has the ability to call on understand repayment terms and the UK Competition Commission to transparent costs, has proved difficult investigate with the power to bind when subjected to the consumer decisions legally. This is in contrast to protection laws of each member state. consumers south of the border, where These difficulties are reflected in the the Irish Competition Authority can only services offered to customers on the deal with individual and not ‘market island. For instance, UK banks are unable place’ complaints and is restricted to to provide euro mortgages for houses in making recommendations for change. Northern Ireland. In order to provide a Moves towards an all-island euro mortgage for a house in Northern complementarity of regulatory regimes in Ireland, a Mortgage Conduct of Business consumer protection would serve the (MCOB) compliant system would have to cross-border consumer well. be established in the South, along the Until the recent crisis, UK banks had 49

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been hailed as the most successful in the opportunity here for the banks in the EU, but their growth and profits are Republic voluntarily to adopt the partly the result of insufficient remedies imposed on their sister banks in competition. In October 2006, in the North, but there is little or no response to a ‘super complaint’ led by possibility of this happening. In any case the Northern Ireland Consumer Council, an equivalent investigation of these the UK’s Competition Commission issues by the consumer authorities would ordered major improvements to personal be justified south of the border. banking in Northern Ireland. Lack of clarity on charges and unduly complex In Northern Ireland research by the charging structures, combined with a General Consumer Council has shown reluctance among customers to switch that many people are paralysed by the providers, were found to be restricting complexity of banking procedures and competition in the market for personal are unable to compare banks or products current accounts in the region. These within their own jurisdiction, let alone features made it likely that customers across the border. These are customer were incurring higher charges and information issues that need to be receiving lower interest than they might tackled by the banks on both sides of the expect in a more competitive market. border, with information provided by the banks needing to be ‘decluttered’ and The Competition Commission put in repackaged as a simple yet place a legally binding remedy which comprehensible glossary of terms. stated that charges should be explained in plain English; 14 days notice should be The UK Financial Services Authority is given of charges on accounts; switching leading a National Strategy for Financial should be made easier; a free overdraft Capability to find ways to improve the ‘buffer’ should be put in place, and an nation’s knowledge and understanding of annual statement of the cost of accounts personal finance. Under this strategy the should be provided. The findings are General Consumer Council for Northern applicable to virtually all banks operating Ireland is bringing together interested in Northern Ireland including the ‘big parties from the banks, advice centres four’ – Bank of Ireland, First Trust (owned and the education sector to work in by AIB), Ulster Bank (owned by RBS) and partnership to examine financial Northern Bank (owned by Danske Bank) - capability issues and to encourage the which together control about 75% of the teaching of financial issues in primary personal account market. and secondary schools. This work should be extended to the Republic of Ireland so These banks all have sister operations in as to combine efforts to develop better the Republic, and one could fairly assume informed and more confident ‘island of that similar improvements are needed Ireland’ bank customers, who are able to south of the border. An idealist might take greater responsibility for their suggest that there appears to be an financial affairs and play a more active 50

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role in the market for financial services. need more evident than on the island of Ireland, where the two sovereign Conclusion governments have been accused of reacting in an ad hoc way to emergencies The EU has played a key role in as they have arisen over the recent period facilitating cross-border banking for of crisis. people on the island of Ireland. The current banking crisis may act as a The island of Ireland – and particularly its stimulus to encourage greater banking border region – could act as a unique integration. However much remains to be laboratory for Europe to research the done to develop better banking practices impact of ad hoc policy interventions for the island’s mobile population. While which otherwise might be difficult to see the euro-Sterling currency differential across the entire EU. It has two financial erects an added barrier to banking across systems – one within the Eurozone and the Irish border, it should not prohibit one outside – operating side by side researching and developing innovative across a common land border but cross-border solutions which are largely providing services to a relatively absent from the market at the moment. homogenous six million population. As a In an ideal scenario the bank customers, very open economy, it has been North and South, would be able to select particularly susceptible to the impact of a number of key products such as current different interest rates and indirect tax accounts, debit cards or credit cards and rates on and off the island and between use them inter-changeably across the its two parts. For example, the 2.5% cut border. However there remains no in the UK VAT rate in autumn 2008 immediate incentive for banks to develop (when combined with an 0.5% increase any cross-border solutions, and in the in the Republic of Ireland) played a part, absence of a strong consumer push it along with the collapse of Sterling and seems likely that little will change in the falling competitiveness of the South, banking across the Irish border for the in the northbound shopping exodus foreseeable future. The immediate which had such a dramatic and damaging concern for the banking sector on the impact on the Southern retail sector island is to survive. before Christmas. The time is overdue for governments within these islands, and in The major lesson of the current financial Europe as a whole, to start engaging crisis is the need for EU-wide regulation. seriously again in financial cooperation to The lack of alignment of the EU central avoid such distortions in the future. banks highlights a vulnerability in global 24-hour markets which requires an EU- Dr Patricia Clarke is research wide (if not worldwide) financial manager of the Centre for Cross regulator who would have virtually Border Studies. unlimited resources in order to keep ahead of the markets. Nowhere is this Professor Ray Kinsella is Director of 51

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the Centre for Insurance Studies at edited books and numerous journal the UCD Quinn School of Business. articles. He was previously an He has published widely in the areas economist at the Central Bank of of banking, financial institutions, Ireland and economic advisor to the insurance and corporate governance, Irish Minister for Trade. including a number of written and

REFERENCES

1 Ross Levine, Finance and Growth: Theory and Evidence, in Handbook of Economic Growth, edited by Philippe Aghion and Steven Durlauf. Elsevier Science, 2005. 2 Statistics cited by the former European Commission Vice-President Etienne Davignon while speaking at an Alliance Francaise conference in University College Cork in October 2008. 3 A banker speaking at a cross-border personal banking study day organised by the Centre for Cross Border Studies in June 2007. This was held in tandem with the Border Ireland website (www.borderireland.info) and was part of the Centre’s commitment to consult widely about cross-border services under the terms of its contract with the North/South Ministerial Council to develop a cross-border mobility information website (www.borderpeople.info). 4 The Lamfalussy Framework for financial rule-making 5 Keynote address by European Internal Market Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, at the conference on EU Supervisory Arrangements held in Brussels on 26 June 2007. 6 See chapter 2 of Jorg Decressin, Hamid Faruqee and Wim Fonteyne (eds). Integrating Europe’s Financial Markets. International Monetary Fund, September 2007. 7 Jean-Claude Trichet’s keynote speech at the first Committee of European Banking Supervisors conference in London, 9 May 2007 (www.ecb.int) 8 Mortgage securitisation is the process by which mortgage assets are sold in bulk to investors rather than remaining on the original lender’s balance sheet. Within the US an estimated 60% of mortgage loans are securitised compared to 6% in the UK. 9 Paul Niven, Head of Asset Allocation at F&C Asset Management 10 Quote from Kevin McConnell, Head of Equity Research at Bloxham Stockbrokers, Dublin. 11 This ‘Kinsella Plan’ is elaborated on in a separate paper authored by Dr Ray Kinsella due for publication in February 2009. 12 Building Ireland’s Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal. Government of Ireland, 2008. Available online at www.taoiseach.gov.ie. 52

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13 PricewaterhouseCoopers and Indecon Economics Consultants, Study of Obstacles to Mobility. Prepared for the North/South Ministerial Council, 2001. 14 Policy brief by David Shirreff, Centre for European Reform, entitled European retail banking: Will there ever be a single market? December 2007. 15 Essay by Simon Tilford, Centre for European Reform, entitled The euro at ten: Is its future secure? January 2009 16 European Monitoring Centre on Change. Managing change in EU cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Case example – Danske Bank and National Irish Bank: Viking raider is knight in shining armour. December 2008. 17 The UK Competition Commission investigation showed very low levels of Internet banking in Northern Ireland despite 100% broadband penetration. In the Southern border region the level of broadband penetration is low, leaving banking customers severely disadvantaged in terms of using online banking facilities. 18 Rae, D. and P. van den Nord, Ireland's housing boom: What has driven it and have prices overshot? OECD Economics Department Working Paper No. 492, 2006. 53

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BECOMING GOOD NEIGHBOURS: THE ROLE OF SPATIAL PLANNING IN IRELAND

Francois Vigier

A remarkable transformation is under way on the island of Ireland. The years of political conflict have been replaced by a new climate of increasing cooperation between North and South and the gradual spread of prosperity beyond Belfast and Dublin to border cities like Newry and Derry that have emerged from economic stagnation. The lessons to be learned from this experience provide a model to societies emerging from conflict situations that will enable them to improve the standard Francois Vigier of life of their citizens through joint actions that leverage their human, economic and natural assets.

Becoming good neighbours is neither and fisheries; food safety awareness; the easy nor quick. Overcoming the promotion of cross-border trade and prejudices and mistrust brought about by business; European Union programmes; political conflict can best be achieved and minority languages. In addition, the through a thoughtful and gradual NSMC assumed oversight of specific process, often with the assistance of a areas of cooperation to be implemented third party perceived as neutral, in order by each jurisdiction separately that would to identify areas of cooperation whose benefit the island as a whole: agriculture, mutual benefits are clear and are not education, health, tourism, environmental seen as threatening the sovereignty of protection, and transport. the former protagonists. New organisations emerged to develop In Ireland the initial framework for areas for cross-border co-operation. On cooperation agreed upon in 1998 the inter-governmental side, one of the created the North/South Ministerial most significant was InterTradeIreland, Council (NSMC), an intergovernmental which is responsible for promoting forum responsible for the oversight of North-South trade and business North-South ‘bodies’ responsible for development. On the NGO side, the specific activities of interest to the island Centre for Cross Border Studies carried as a whole: navigable inland waterways out research to foster co-operation across 54

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the Irish border in the fields of education, In spite of the growing collaboration health, the economy, public between the two jurisdictions on specific administration, communications, projects, it was not an easy task, agriculture, the environment and a range conceptually or politically, to initiate a of other practical areas. dialogue to promote the harmonisation of two key policy documents intended to These two initiatives were highly programme future public investments, successful: according to the and little was said in them about the InterTradeIreland web site, over 1,300 future of the border areas. This omission businesses have benefited from its underlined the argument of the European programmes for an added value of over Union’s Charter of Border and Cross- g147 million, illustrating the readiness of Border Regions that border areas are the private sector to take advantage of often unable to realize their full the opportunities created by the development potential because of their disappearance of artificial trade barriers. peripheral location relative to the The Centre for Cross Border Studies has capital city and other national an expanding portfolio of projects development poles. relating to the border region economy, spatial planning, health services, citizens The challenge to better harmonise North- information and impact assessment. South spatial planning was taken up in late 2004 by a recently created Harmonising planning policies association that brought together planning academics from the University Expanding North-South collaboration to of Ulster, the National University of harmonise physical planning policies in Ireland Maynooth, Athlone Institute of the two jurisdictions took longer. In 2001 Technology, the Centre for Cross Border the Northern Ireland administration Studies and the Institute for International published Shaping our Future – Regional Urban Development in Cambridge, Development Strategy for Northern Massachusetts: the International Centre Ireland 2025, and a similar document, for Local and Regional Development The National Spatial Strategy, 2002- (ICLRD). The first step taken by this 2020, was published by the Irish independent NGO was to document the Government in the following year. Both cross-border spatial issues that needed to presented ‘broad brush’ visions of future be addressed by the two jurisdictions. An regional and urban development and ICLRD report published in late 2005, provided a framework for infrastructure Cross-border Transportation Planning for investments. Developed independently, Strategic Roads, examined the potential both documents showed the parts of the for improving the regional transport island beyond their mutual border as a infrastructure to facilitate the coordinated blank space, although it was crossed by development of the Irish Central Border arrows symbolising unspecified cross- Region (with the Irish Central Border border relationships. Region Network). 55

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This report was well received and was As a result of these initial technical followed by a more ambitious study to studies, the role of ICLRD as an better align the spatial planning policies independent third party devoted to of Northern Ireland and the Republic, promoting inter-jurisdictional including infrastructure and cross-border interventions in spatial planning was projects, to support the long-term recognised by central and local economic competitiveness of the island. governments in both jurisdictions. Over Spatial Strategies on the Island of the past 18 months, the ICLRD has Ireland: Development of a Framework worked with the local authorities and the for Collaborative Action (2006) was chambers of commerce in Newry and commissioned by InterTradeIreland on Dundalk to promote an integrated spatial behalf of the Department of the planning and development framework Environment, Heritage and Local focussed on the benefits resulting from Government in Dublin and the enhanced cooperation between the two Department for Regional Development cities. A complex range of themes was in Belfast. identified, including alternative energy sources, sustainable economic For the first time since partition development, urban regeneration, comparable statistical data was presented infrastructure improvements, skills and for the island as a whole. The report education programmes and potential introduced the concept of ‘voluntary’ or cross-border strategic projects designed ‘non-statutory’ collaboration in order to to yield mutual benefits. The concept of a maximise the impact of the g100 billion ‘twin city region’ is now well established estimated for infrastructural investment in Newry-Dundalk and both public and by the two governments over the coming private stakeholders are considering decade, and its findings were endorsed specific interventions for joint action. by a joint communiqué of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in May Progress has been slower in fostering 2006. Both administrations in Dublin and cooperation in the less urbanised parts of Belfast have now committed themselves the border region where the decline of to develop a framework for collaborative such traditional economic activities as action between the two existing farming, furniture-making and textiles has spatial strategies on the island, a major resulted in high unemployment, while step in the reconciliation process. A low educational attainment and follow-up joint study by ICLRD and the inadequate infrastructure have hampered National Institute for Regional and Spatial economic development. Fostering Analysis (NUI Maynooth), The Atlas of cooperation in the border region is also the Island of Ireland (2007), provided the complicated by the fact that, until a few first detailed information of socio- years ago, it was a militarily contested economic indicators for the island as area and tensions from that era are still a whole.1 present. While Newry and Dundalk share the economic potential of a strategic 56

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location on the Belfast-Dublin corridor, Promoting voluntary cooperation reversing the economic disadvantages of isolated rural localities that are steadily The need for ‘larger than local’ planning losing population poses daunting usually arises out of the recognition of a challenges. A successful intervention will ‘problem’ whose spatial dimension require the coordinated action of the two transcends the boundaries of individual national governments as well as support jurisdictions: managing common at the local level. environmental assets, reducing the inefficiencies of urban sprawl, or The International Centre for Local and responding to a perceived threat to Regional Development’s efforts to economic competitiveness by jointly promote cross-border cooperation have capturing an economic development yielded a number of interesting lessons. opportunity. While countries with a Achieving the European Union’s objective strong regional planning tradition have of “balanced and sustainable often been able to develop coherent development of the territory of the large-scale growth management European Union” presupposes strategies, cooperation among adjoining cooperation among all levels of municipalities is infrequent and requires government – national, regional and overcoming administrative and local. As part of the political institutional obstacles. Experience in the reconciliation process, the Dublin and United States has shown that voluntary Belfast governments have become more cooperation among adjoining open to joint interventions that facilitate municipalities can best be achieved economic interchanges, including the when there is a need to respond to a spatial and temporal coordination of commonly perceived threat to their infrastructure investments. quality of life.2 Successful regional partnerships depend on the ability of This may not, however, improve local local leadership, representing both the conditions, since localities that are part of public and private sectors, to: a regional sub-system are more often • Identify common themes to be than not competing with each other to addressed; capture a share of an existing or future • Build coalitions of stakeholders; development potential. This is particularly • Document and diagnose common so during a period of recession. The problems and interventions; definition and implementation of a • Marshal civic support; and coherent regional strategic vision, • Secure financing for joint actions. especially on a cross-border basis, requires reaching a consensus among the Selecting specific projects with relatively localities involved that there are short-term benefits is a required first step advantages in collaborating in a regional in building the parties’ confidence and development strategy of which they will encouraging them to address the more be the ultimate beneficiaries. complex issues of the long term 57

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management of a region through cross- have taken a proactive role in developing border collaboration. a regional identity. The Dundalk Chamber’s annual conference in Newry-Dundalk study November 2007, entitled Border Vision Gateway, offered an opportunity for The new climate of cooperation that has speakers from both jurisdictions to developed over the past few years discuss opportunities for cooperation, between Newry and Dundalk has laid the while the 2006 Strategic Vision for the groundwork for further cooperation. Greater Newry Area also spoke of cross- Although neither town has the critical border cooperation.3 Officials from both mass to meet the criteria of a ‘gateway’ sides of the border became actively in the Republic of Ireland’s National involved in identifying the five joint Spatial Strategy or a ‘main hub and inter- interventions proposed by a new ICLRD regional gateway” in Northern Ireland’s study, The Newry-Dundalk Twin City Regional Development Strategy, taken Region: Supporting the Implementation together they have the potential to of Cross-Border Collaboration become a major growth pole as defined Frameworks, which was launched in in the two spatial strategies. February 20094. These interventions were: This potential is now recognized by the three concerned local authorities: Newry 1. Building a twin city centre of and Mourne District Council, Dundalk excellence in sustainable energy Town Council, and Louth County Council. based on the existing work of Council executives and their senior Sustainable Energy Ireland and the managers have started meeting on a Dundalk 2020/EU Concerto regular basis to discuss joint projects. programme and positioning the A similar spirit is evident in the private region as an island exemplar in sector and both chambers of commerce this field; 58

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2. Exploring the concept of a of the region and harness its Geo-Tourism initiative linked to the development potential. New development outstanding geological features of should be directed to the most the Mournes, the Cooley Mountains, appropriate locations, regardless of the Slieve Gullion and Carlingford Lough; border. Simultaneously, the delivery of 3. Marketing the Newry-Dundalk region high quality public services, the as a centre for international service protection of the natural environment operations based at the midpoint of and the development of cultural and the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor; commercial activities that enhance the 4. A joint town centre regeneration quality of life of residents are important strategy for Newry and Dundalk to components to ensure the attractiveness promote both towns as places where of the area for new investment. people want to visit, settle and work. Cooperation can achieve economies of 5. Programmes that will identify scale since many of these activities do common data sets to support joined- not have to be replicated in each locality up planning and innovation across but can be programmed jointly. the border region; coordinate Dundalk Institute of Technology and Moving forward to develop and Southern Regional College courses to implement a joint development strategy develop a diversified and qualified will require overcoming more difficult labour force; promote joined up obstacles posed by the need to planning and resource management; harmonise legal and institutional and build infrastructure connectivity differences that commonly occur across using the M1/A1 corridor. national borders. Ideally, a cross-border region should have an integrated These initiatives have potentially laid the institutional framework to minimise the foundations for further cooperation and differences between its two components, represent a new level of public sector and create a model that does not favour leadership by the three local councils. one side or the other for the location of The next step is to identify and agree on new economic activities. The main issues priorities for Newry and Dundalk in order that need to be resolved to ensure full jointly to formulate a comprehensive cross-border cooperation include: development strategy to create an urban region capable of realizing the • Identifying the legal and advantages of its location on the administrative procedures that Belfast-Dublin corridor. facilitate or hinder cooperation; • Quantifying the impact of differences To do so, the twin cities will have to in fiscal regimes; programme the necessary infrastructure • Proposing solutions to institutional investments and public services and obstacles. adopt coordinated land development policies to ensure the harmonious growth While the local authorities are best 59

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The Mourne Mountains, an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Newry and Mourne District Council area situated to identify institutional obstacles those provided by the UK Enterprise Zone and propose ways to overcome them, programme. This model might be worth bringing them into closer harmony re-visiting as an evaluation of its positive requires high level decisions by central impact has identified rates relief, governments that support the desire of enhanced capital depreciation local governments and other key allowances, and the relaxation of stakeholders to coordinate development statutory planning requirements as the strategies for their cross-border area. main reason for its success in attracting Only Belfast and Dublin have the new economic activities.5 authority to adopt the necessary reforms. The voluntary sharing of the fiscal For example, recent locational trends benefits of new development among show that retail stores have taken local governments may also be worth advantage of the lower VAT in Northern considering. This approach has been used Ireland while non-retail economic successfully in the Minneapolis-St. Paul development may tend to prefer locations (Minnesota) metropolitan region in the south of the border where the fiscal US. In 1971, 192 municipalities in a climate is more advantageous. Attracting seven county region with a total new activities north of the border may population of 2.7 million established a require the Northern system to provide Regional Revenue Sharing Fund as part of counterbalancing incentives similar to a compact to prepare a comprehensive 60

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regional development plan that would Replicating the approach in more isolated select the most appropriate locations for rural and economically depressed cross- new economic activities rather than have border areas requires a somewhat individual municipalities compete with different approach. A 2008 ICLRD study each other. The Fund is financed by a – Fostering Mutual Benefits in Cross- 40% allocation of the local property tax Border Areas: The Challenges and revenue levied on new commercial and Opportunities in Connecting Irish Border industrial uses; this amount is Towns and Villages – focussed on smaller redistributed to localities with lower tax towns and villages of varying sizes in five revenues or concentrations of lower cross-border areas in the Irish border income households. The sharing of region.7 The purpose of the study was to regional revenues has reduced inter- assess the feasibility of enabling cross- jurisdictional competition for land uses border cooperation by coordinating their paying a high property tax and increased development strategies and capital social equity as regional fiscal disparities improvements in order to overcome the have been reduced from 50:1 to 12:1.6 disadvantages of their peripheral location, promote their competitiveness and Rural development improve the quality of life of their inhabitants. Over 100 key stakeholders Furthering the economic competitiveness participated in ICLRD’s analysis of current of a cross-border urban region is largely conditions and future trends and the based on exploiting and enhancing its discussion of areas where joined-up existing assets. The experience of the action would be beneficial to all parties. European Union, although impressive, has tended to focus largely on border regions The study concluded that, in spite of the where economic activities were already difficulties they faced as a result of their present or where the preservation of isolation from the main development foci natural assets (and the development of in the two jurisdictions, a culture of tourism) presented clear benefits for collaboration was present among cross-border interventions, rather than on stakeholders in each of the five micro- lagging areas. In the first of these cases, regions.8 Local political leaders were the standardisation of regulatory talking to each other and were keenly measures led to more efficient aware that the likelihood of reversing the development patterns, while continuing demographic decline of their improvements in public transport allowed areas would be enhanced by sharing the labour force on either side of the resources. Two principal themes emerged border to benefit from new job in the study: opportunities; in some instances, shared public services also led to significant cost • The inadequacy of cross-border savings. In the second, it became possible transport infrastructure; to protect large ecosystems while taking • The paucity of services, ranging from advantage of their economic value. education, public safety, and health

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to business services, and the inability isolated villages whose health needs were in many cases to access the closest served by a limited number of relatively service because of its location on the distant urban facilities. Starting in 2004, other side of the border. the inhabitants of two French cantons were given access to the nearby Belgian Improving the quality of life in these rural regional hospital in Dinant, less than one- cross-border areas depends largely on the fifth the distance of its closest French coordinated interventions of statutory equivalent in Charleville-Mézières; costs agencies at central government level. In were covered by the French national spite of the willingness of the local health system. population to participate in cross-border initiatives, the local authorities simply The results of this modest experiment lack the necessary resources to undertake were sufficiently positive for the two needed improvements. Poverty in the governments to sign an agreement that, cross-border rural region is largely due to from 1 February 2007, extended cross- its fringe location relative to the main national health coverage to the six health development trends occurring on the facilities on the French side and the Island. Focussed and complementary seven on the Belgian side, allowing the interventions by the Department of the inhabitants of the region to freely choose Environment, Heritage and Local where to seek health care.9 It is expected Government in the South and the that, as a result of this agreement, the Department for Regional Development in region’s inhabitants’ access to health care the North are required to address the will be improved and significant savings underlying problems of these ‘special will be realised in the public cost of cases’ whose emergence from poverty delivering health services. A more requires improved accessibility and public ambitious project in a mountainous area services. The creation of employment on the French-Spanish border, initiated in nodes accessible to the inhabitants of the 2003, led to the creation of a new cross- cross-border region and improved access border regional health centre. Managed to health and educational facilities are by a bi-national private foundation, the key to improving the conditions of Hôpital Commun Transfrontalier de la its population. Cerdagne serves the isolated north- eastern part of Catalonia and the south- Franco-Belgian example western localities of the Roussillon region. The applicability of these two In this respect, a recent example of such health care initiatives to the Irish border a special case of bi-national cooperation area is well worth considering by the in the predominantly rural border region two governments. of the French Ardennes and Belgian Wallonia is of considerable interest. With In addition to the improved delivery of a total population of about 150,000 healthcare, future North-South people, most of the area consists of collaboration in the border region is 63

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necessary to achieve a proper balance both sides of the border. The between providing the inhabitants with identification by the ICLRD of relatively better paying job opportunities and short-term projects for potential joint preserving its unique environment. The action and potential mutual benefit – stakeholders interviewed as part of the that were not seen as threatening the ICLRD study were well aware that the longer-term interests of either side – has issue was not one of competing urban started to build a climate of cooperation. centres but the need to retain the The time is now ripe for expanding and region’s unique character, much of whose formalising the scope of cross-border economic potential is primarily in cooperation by both jurisdictional and tourism. Maintaining the border region’s local authorities. environmental quality requires the formulation of a comprehensive land As the parties become more familiar development strategy to simultaneously with each other and develop mutual protect natural assets and provide its trust, they are likely to explore more inhabitants with jobs in selected ambitious joint actions, some of which growth nodes accessible to the region may require the involvement of national as a whole. and jurisdictional agencies. For example, managing a cross-border region defined Lessons learned primarily on economic and social grounds requires a harmonisation of The lessons learned from these two policies at the jurisdictional as well as ICLRD cross-border studies are quite the local level, and agreeing on the simple. As political barriers become nature and timing of specific projects, weaker, a dialogue is likely to start undertaken either separately by each between abutting jurisdictions to better municipality or jointly, to ensure the address common problems, first among competitive advantages of the sub- individuals and, somewhat later, between region. public institutions. The better informed the dialogue, the greater the willingness The findings of a major conference on to discuss complex issues and try to find European cross-border cooperation in solutions to shared practical problems. Lille, France, in 2007, described the Thanks to intermediaries such as the evolution of bi-national cooperation as North/South Ministerial Council, “a long-haul process [that enables] the InterTradeIreland, the Centre for Cross various actors involved to progress Border Studies and the International successfully from the stage of ignorance Centre for Local and Regional to that of knowledge, consistency, joint Development, information has been production and finally to the gathered, analysed and disseminated organisation of cross-border to broaden the discussion and governance.”10 It identified the following encourage the definition of common topics for cooperation: interventions that are to the advantage of • Transport and mobility; 64

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• The integrated management of regulations must be coherent across the services; jurisdictions spanned by the ecosystem. • Economic development and This is best achieved by delegating to a employment; special purpose body the preparation of • Land management and the supply of the cross-border conservation plan, and affordable housing; and of the detailed regulations applicable to • Culture. the ecosystem that will be enforced by the local governments on either side of The conference’s review of past European the border. The Cape Cod Commission in experience concluded that successful Massachusetts is a good example of such cross-border cooperation has depended a special purpose body whose authority on the willingness of national overlays those of local governments. governments to address the institutional Composed of representatives of the and legal inconsistencies on either side of state, county and local governments, its the border, usually by agreeing on the responsibilities include: spatial definition of a cross-border area with a ‘special status’ that enables the • The preparation of a regional policy local authorities to develop and plan for an environmentally fragile implement a common spatial strategy. It area whose economy depends on further concluded that the process is tourism; dependent upon the creation of “a • The review and approval of local dedicated technical structure with its plans to ensure their compatibility own budget”, responsible for with regional policies; and documenting the needs of the cross- • The mandatory review of their border region, defining the public potential environmental impact interventions required to successfully before a permit can be granted by address its future development, and the local authority. harmonising the legal and institutional frameworks. A key element is the This relatively simple organisational participation of elected officials and the structure ensures the consideration of consultation of the inhabitants on both regional issues while preserving the sides of the border in order to develop authority of local governments. agreement on common interventions. Conclusion The European experience demonstrates that one major impetus for cross-border Ensuring the successful economic co-operation has been the desire to development of urban and rural areas safeguard fragile natural environments along the Irish border will depend on the while developing their tourism potential. increased coordination of jurisdictional Safeguarding natural resources depends policies to take into account their special on the thoughtful management of whole needs as part of the current revisions of ecosystems and, to this end, spatial the Regional Development Strategy in 65

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Northern Ireland and the National Spatial neighbours as they benefit jointly from Strategy in the Republic of Ireland. Rather these improvements, historical rivalries than fringe locations distant from the can progressively be set aside. major conurbations in Belfast and Dublin, they should be thought of by the two Francois Vigier founded the Institute national governments as special areas for International Urban sharing a common cross-border Development in Boston, landscape. Massachusetts with colleagues in 2005 as a not-for-profit research Sharing the benefits of future cross- group specialising in urban border cooperation depends on the development in developing and willingness of local authorities to jointly transitional economies. A member of manage growth in their jurisdictions and the Harvard University faculty since to find an equitable way to share the 1962 and Chairman of its public costs of the needed infrastructure Department of Urban Planning and and related development. An ongoing Design from 1992 to 1998, he is the dialogue among the parties is critical at Charles Dyer Norton Professor of both the executive and technical level. Regional Planning emeritus at the The scope of the dialogue should be Harvard Graduate School of Design, broad, ranging from monitoring the where he directed the School’s trends affecting the region to agreeing Center for Urban Development on the nature and timing of required Studies from 1987 to 2005. He has interventions and identifying local and been responsible for numerous external funding sources for the joint planning and design projects in the implementation of projects. Cooperation US, Europe, the Middle East, North should allow the planning and scheduling Africa, Latin America and the of complementary transport investments, Caribbean. He is a founding board the harmonisation of development member of the International Centre regulations and a more efficient delivery for Local and Regional of public services. When the localities on Development (ICLRD). both sides of the border become good

REFERENCES

1 Justin Gleeson, Rob Kitchin, Brendan Bartley, John Driscoll, Ronan Foley, Stewart Fotheringham and Chris Lloyd, The Atlas of the Island of Ireland: Mapping Social and Economic Change, All-Island Research Observatory and International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD), 2008. 2 See Porter, D. and Wallis, A., Exploring Ad Hoc Regionalism, Cambridge, MA, The Lincoln Land Institute, 2002 and Wallis, A., The New Regionalism: Inventing Governance Structures for the Early Twenty-First Century, University of Colorado, 2006. 66

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3 A similar initiative is taking place in the north west border region between Derry/Londonderry and Letterkenny. 4 Brendan Bartley Jim Berry, Neale Blair, John Driscoll, Stanley McGreal, Chris Van Egeraat, Francois Vigier, Supporting the Implementation of Cross-Border Collaborative Frameworks: Newry-Dundalk Sub-Region, ICLRD, December 2008. 5 Urban Research Summary No. 4 1995, (www.communities.gov.uk/archived/general- content/citiesandregions/finalevaluation/) 6 The bulk of local revenues in American municipalities is based on the local property tax. 7 Caroline Creamer, Neale Blair, Brendan O’Keeffe, Chris Van Egeraat, John Driscoll, Fostering Mutual Benefits in Cross-Border Areas: The Challenges and Opportunities in Connecting Irish Border Towns and Villages, ICLRD, 2008. 8 The five clusters studied were Lifford/Strabane; Kittyclogher/Cashel/Scribbage/Garrison/Rossinver; Glenfgarne/Blacklion/Belcoo; Clones/Rosslea/Newtonbutler/Liskaskea; and Castleblayney/Crossmaglen. 9 Dominique Charton, “Hôpitaux sans frontières entre les Ardennes et la Wallonie,” Les Echos, May 9-10, 2008. 10 Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière, “Cross-border Territories: Day-to-day Europe,” 8/9 November 2007, p.4. 67

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DEALING WITH CROSS-BORDER SEX OFFENDERS: LEARNING FROM THE NORTH’S MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH

Susan McKay

On 17 November last year, the Irish Minister for Justice, , met the North’s Minister of State in charge of criminal justice, Paul Goggins, at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down. The pair had already met at Leinster House in Dublin the previous month, when they announced that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Republic’s An Garda Siochana had signed an agreement on the sharing of information in relation to investigating and monitoring sex offenders on both sides of the Irish border. Susan McKay

Goggins said at the October meeting that agreed that the whole issue of sex the British and Irish Governments were offenders on the island would be a top committed to looking at further ways in priority.”1 A spokesman for Mr Ahern which they could harmonise their systems said the new deal between the two “to tackle the threat from sex offenders police forces had “so far been very to all the people of Ireland.” At their successful.”2 meeting a month later, Ahern said: “We are determined that sex offenders cannot On the same day, newspapers north and use the border to flee justice and we south of the border carried photographs have been looking at how we can and descriptions of a man called Ernest change our systems and legislation to George Finlay, along with warnings to ensure that that the border isn’t used. We the public that he was extremely have moved on this issue and the North dangerous - and at large. Finlay is a serial has moved as well.” rapist. From the border village of Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, he had been sent He said they had agreed to align IT to jail for 14 years in 1997 for a series of systems and databases, and that brutal rapes of prostitutes in Belfast and exchanges of staff were under for unlawful imprisonment. He also had consideration so that common a conviction for indecently assaulting knowledge could be built. “We are both a child. 68

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In common with other prisoners in The PSNI had alerted the Garda Siochana, Northern Ireland, he had been able to and he was stopped by them and told to avail of 50% remission on his sentence, return to the North, where he was and had been released after seven years arrested, prosecuted and returned to jail in 2004. He was designated as a for three years. On his release in April Category 3 offender, meaning that he 2008 he was subject to the same was considered at high risk of restrictions, but he had once again fled reoffending, and he was being ‘risk – presumably to the Republic. The PSNI managed’ under ‘public protection issued a Public Disclosure Notice warning arrangements’. He was being monitored the public not to approach Finlay but to by a multi agency group including the contact the police if they saw him. A probation service, social services and the PSNI spokesman said that the decision to police. He was forbidden to leave his issue such a notice was “not taken home area of south Tyrone without the lightly”. However he said it was “an permission of a PSNI Commander, but important risk management tool” and soon after his release he had crossed that in this case it was appropriate.3 the border and gone on the run in the Republic.

Case 1: Brendan Smyth

In February 1990 a young woman revealed to a social worker in Belfast that she had been sexually abused on numerous occasions as a child by a Catholic priest called Father Brendan Smyth. The disclosure marked the beginning of the end of Smyth’s career as a child abuser. It also brought about the fall of an Irish government and the beginning of a sea change in the way sex offenders were dealt with on the island of Ireland.

The social worker was legally required to informed the RUC, and did so. The RUC investigated, and in 1991 interviewed Smyth, who admitted sexually abusing more than one child. He was charged and released on bail. He promptly returned to his abbey in County Cavan across the border and resumed work as a chaplain. He, his abbot and others in the Catholic hierarchy ignored numerous letters and phone calls requesting his return to Belfast for trial, and in 1993 the RUC delivered warrants for his extradition to the offices of the Attorney General in Dublin.

There they lay unprocessed for seven months, a matter which, when it emerged, led the to withdraw from its coalition with Fianna Fail and bring about the collapse of the Irish Government in November 1994. Smyth eventually returned to Belfast voluntarily, pleaded guilty to 17 charges of abusing boys and girls dating back to the 1960s, and was sent to Magilligan jail for four years. 69

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Embarassing coincidences precursor of the 2008 agreement, and itself arose from the Intergovernmental It was an embarassing coincidence. Finlay Agreement on North/South Criminal had exploited the border just weeks after Justice Cooperation which was signed in the new agreement was signed. He had 2005. Most of the relevant initiatives also circumvented the North’s new public date back to the period after the 1998 protection procedures, introduced with a Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. An initial fanfare by the Northern Ireland Minister inter-governmental agreement in that around the same time as the North- year had set up a Public Protection South policing agreement. Advisory Board with joint North-South chairing arrangements. A similar coincidence had overshadowed the signing in November 2006 by the In October 2006 another child sex Irish and British Governments of a offender, Paul Hunter Redpath, failed to Memorandum of Understanding on the return to the accommodation in Northern sharing of information on sex offenders Ireland where he was obliged to stay between the Gardai and British police under the terms of his probation. The 35 forces, including the PSNI. This was the year old former chef from Scotland had

Once Smyth was in the public eye, his victims started to come forward. It would soon emerge that the Norbertine priest had been abusing children since the 1950s, and that his superiors had been aware back in 1945 that he had what they euphemistically called “a problem with children.”9 The journalist Chris Moore investigated Smyth and wrote an excellent book about his ravages. He had raped children in Ireland, North and South, Scotland, Wales and the US.

The Catholic authorities had received many complaints from anguished parents and victims. Their response was to move the abusive priest around, sending him from parish to parish, country to country, never revealing the reason, and often with breathtaking irresponsibility – for example, he was sent to several children’s hospitals as a chaplain. As Moore notes, “in blunt terms, instead of caring for the abused, they chose to shelter this criminal.”10

On his release from Magilligan in 1997, Smyth was tried in Dublin on 74 charges of child abuse between 1958 and 1993. Sentencing him to 12 years in jail, the trial judge said he had “no doubt but that Smyth was still a risk to children.” Smyth’s lawyers said he had “made his peace with God.” He died a month later.11 70

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served a prison sentence in the North for that whereas if he had been captured in sexual offences against two young girls in Northern Ireland he could have been sent 2005, and was on a three year probation to prison for up to five years, in the term for indecently assaulting and raping Republic the crime of breaching his a 13 year old. probation conditions in the North might not be sufficient for a European arrest After he disappeared, the PSNI issued a warrant or an application for extradition public safety warning. Redpath was to be successful. Redpath agreed to sign described as being a “high risk” to the the Republic’s sex offenders register and community, a “serious threat” to to notify gardai if he changed address. children, and particularly dangerous when he had been drinking. Gardai and Child welfare organisations were police in Scotland circulated his appalled. Norah Gibbons, director of photograph. The ferry port at Stranraer advocacy at Barnardo’s in Dublin, said was monitored. the situation was “deeply worrying” adding that the system for tracking He was quickly traced to an address in offenders in the Republic was “woefully the Republic. However it then emerged inadequate” and that it was putting

Case 2: Robert Howard

In August 1994 fifteen year old Arlene Arkinson went out for the night with Robert Howard and others. He drove from her home town of Castlederg in County Tyrone across the border to Bundoran. She has never been seen since.

She is believed to have been murdered, and Howard is the only suspect, but her body has never been found. In 2005 Howard was tried and acquitted in Belfast. He was, however, returned to prison in England, where he was serving a life sentence for the murder in 2001 of another teenage girl, Hannah Williams. Arlene’s family, as well as one of her friends, who had been raped by Howard and almost strangled, had given evidence at that murder trial, and gave significant “similar fact evidence”. Howard had well established patterns of finding and grooming vulnerable girls before using extreme violence on them. Controversially, such evidence was not called in Belfast.

Howard had been a highly mobile sex offender since at least the 1960s. Born in the Republic, his first conviction was for the attempted rape of a six year old girl in England, after breaking into her home. His punishment was nine days in a borstal, after which he was sent back to Ireland – a type of informal deportation which was common at that time. In 1969, back in England, he attempted to rape a young woman after breaking into her home in Durham. He was sentenced to six years in prison, served three, and was again sent back to Ireland. 71

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children at risk. She pointed out that Gilligan. “In the UK, even if you were there was nothing to stop an suspected of sex offences against opportunistic sex offender registering children, your potential employer has the with their local gardai, and then getting right to check your details and vet you. employment in another part of the That doesn’t exist in Ireland,” he said. country. “There are still thousands of ““We are light years behind Britain and people working with children and Northern Ireland here.”5 vulnerable adults in this country who have never been vetted,” she said.4 A year after he absconded, Redpath was located in Scotland and returned to the The Irish Society for the Prevention of North, where he was charged with Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) warned that breaking his probation conditions and following the introduction of more returned to prison. stringent vetting procedures in the UK in the aftermath of the Soham murders of ‘Most wanted’ website two young girls, high risk sex offenders might regard Ireland as a safe haven. November 2006 also saw the launch by Irish laws on vetting were “dangerously the UK authorities of the Child weak”, said ISPCC chief executive Paul Exploitation and Online Protection ‘most

Using a false name, he got a job in County Cork. In 1973 he broke into the home of a middle-aged woman, violently raped her and made off in her car. Relatives found her and alerted gardai. Howard was arrested at Dublin Airport. A psychiatrist told the court that he believed Howard to be an “explosive psychopath” and “highly dangerous” to women.

He was jailed in Dublin for 10 years, got out in 1981, married and abused a vulnerable young woman, and later moved north of the border to Castlederg. One of his victims there reported him to the RUC, and a trial followed in the North. By this stage, he was also suspected of murdering Arlene Arkinson. A psychiatrist, who was not shown the earlier psychiatric report from the Republic, referred to his “desire to dominate teenage girls” and warned of a “propensity…to escalate his offending behaviour.”12

He moved to Scotland, claiming the IRA was after him, but was ‘outed’ by a newspaper, and fled south to London. The authorities attempted to keep track of him, but he kept disappearing, returning on occasion to Ireland, where he is suspected of having committed further offences. He met and groomed Hannah Williams, and she disappeared in 2001. Her body was found a year later. Convicting Howard, a judge said, “it is clear you are a danger to teenage girls and other women and have been for a long time.”13 72

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wanted’ website [www.crimestoppers- working for Ireland and the UK, while uk.org/ceop]. This published the names others saw it as a sign that Ireland was and photographs of convicted sex becoming a haven for UK sex offenders. offenders who were missing. This was According to William McAuley, the PSNI’s welcomed by the Northern Ireland-based Strategy and Policy Co-ordinator for the Survivors for Justice group which said it MASRAM system – the UK-wide multi- was a “major step forward.”6 A year later agency procedure for the assessment and one of the UK’s most wanted sex management of sex offenders – offenders, John Richard Murrell, was absconders from the system were the captured in the Republic as a result of a exception rather than the rule. Speaking tip off from someone who had seen his during the controversy over Redpath, he details on the website. UK police said that there were 618 offenders in contacted gardai, who used a European Northern Ireland and 85 in prison who warrant to arrest Murrell, who had were being risk managed by the absconded from a probation hostel in agencies, and there was a compliance England in 2000. rate of 95%. There would always, he said, be individuals who “buck the Some saw Murrell’s arrest primarily as a system”.7 sign that new systems were indeed

Case 3: Billy Adams

According to his sister, Sonia Erwin, Billy Adams is “a master at manipulating the system.”14 She was speaking from her home in Northern Ireland after her brother was found guilty of the multiple rape of a 12 year old girl in England during 2005. Adams was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he spend at least seven and a half years in jail.

Evidence of his ability as a manipulator is not hard to find. In 1997 he was in jail for theft in Northern Ireland and was extradited to the Republic for trial on a charge of indecent assault, for which he got a 10 month sentence. While in jail in Dublin in 1998, he was convicted of the rape of an eight year old Northern Irish girl at his flat in the Republic’s capital. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but applied to serve his sentence in Northern Ireland, where he was able to avail of 50% remission. The Irish DPP had decided not to pursue him for alleged offences committed in the North, as they would not result in him serving a longer sentence.

Although Sonia Erwin warned the authorities that her brother was a dangerous predator who would strike again, he was duly released in 2004. On his release he came under the multi-agency procedures for assessment and management of sex offenders known as MASRAM. It was reported that he boasted he was a “free man” 73

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The MASRAM arrangements have just have campaigned for dangerous offenders been upgraded and extended through to be kept in jail if they are still deemed the Criminal Justice NI Order of 2008. to pose a high risk of re-offending. The availability of 50% remission for all Under the new law, indeterminate offenders has been ended. Among sentencing has been introduced so that others, the family of Attracta Harron had an offender can be kept in prison, campaigned for this change after she was particularly if prison authorities consider murdered in 2003 by Trevor Hamilton. He that he has made no effort to reduce was a dangerous serial sex offender. He that risk, such as taking part in was under MASRAM risk management in programmes in jail. the North when he picked Mrs Harron up on the border road between Lifford in The PSNI’s William McAuley delivers an the Republic and Strabane. She had been optimistic assessment of the to mass and was walking home across harmonisation of systems between the the border. North and the Republic. “The Brendan Smyth case [see case 1] was a catalyst The Harrons, as well as families of victims for a range of changes in cross border of Robert Howard and Billy Adams [see co-operation,” he says.8 “Before that cases 2 and 3], are among those who there was very little. It was pre the Good and told police he was going to Liverpool in England. It is understood the PSNI informally warned their counterparts in Merseyside Constabulary.15

Father Jeremiah McGrath, who had befriended Adams at a homeless shelter in Dublin, and had stood bail for him and visited him in prison, then sheltered him at his parochial house in Roslea in County Fermanagh, just on the northern side of the border. The pair were lovers. Local people were not told about the visitor’s violent background. In 2005 Adams went to Liverpool. He signed the sex offenders register there. Then, bankrolled and abetted by McGrath, he ostentatiously groomed and repeatedly raped the 12 year old girl.

Her family say that it was six months after the rape that social services warned them about Adams. A relative found the details of his previous crimes on the Internet. Adams made a further attempt to abduct the child. He was arrested back in Northern Ireland at McGrath’s parochial house. Sonia Erwin believes he and McGrath were about to flee to the US.

Adams admitted multiple rapes and in 2007 got a life sentence with a recommendation that he serve 15 years. McGrath got five years for his role. He had been suspended from ministry during the proceedings, and his bishop said his future as a priest would be considered. This would involve a “complex process under Canon Law.”16 74

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Friday Agreement, pre the change in the McAuley says. The two police forces Irish Constitution”(this had claimed along with the probation services from jurisdiction over the North and made both Irish jurisdictions now work closely some legal cooperation with Northern together, and the decision in the Ireland difficult). Republic several years ago to split the probation and welfare services, as in the During the conflict, offenders could North, made things easier. “In the case oppose extradition on political grounds. of offenders who live in border counties, One offender who tried to play the we would often see individuals from the political card was Vincent McKenna, the relevant authorities on either side of the self-styled human rights activist from the border now coming together for southern border county of Cavan, who meetings,” he says. had moved north to Belfast. He claimed that persistent rumours that he had No MASRAM in the South sexually abused his daughter were politically motivated in order to discredit The Republic still does not have a him. However in 2000 he was convicted formalised system along the lines of in the Republic on 31 counts of abuse MASRAM and this remains a significant against her. His daughter Sorcha waived barrier to harmonisation. Things are more her right to anonymity to expose him. streamlined in Northern Ireland. “The UK’s Violent and Sexual Offenders “The 1997 Sex Offenders Act was the Register (VISOR) is accessible all over the first piece of UK legislation and it was UK. They don’t have an equivalent in the followed three years later by the Sex Republic, where arrangements are local. Offenders Bill in the Republic. That law However, the Garda Intelligence Unit is built on lessons learned from the UK Act. working on putting the sex offenders For example under the British law register on a computerised central offenders had seven days to notify the system. In the North, if someone authorities if they moved to another breaches the terms of their probation, jurisdiction. The Irish law gave them they can be arrested, since the offence is three days, and that is now the same for serious and carries a potential sentence Britain,” says McAuley. of five years. In the Republic, gardai have to go to court to get the right to arrest,” The fact that all citizens of the island of McAuley says. The Republic did not have Ireland are entitled to both Irish and a any sex offenders register until 2001. British passports is also problematic when it comes to tracking offenders on the “Under public protection arrangements in move, as is the fact that a passport is not the North, if someone has concerns required when travelling from the UK to about a convicted person in the Ireland. However problems of information community and they express these to the sharing between the two jurisdictions police, that person can be referred for have now largely been resolved, risk assessment,” says McAuley. “There

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isn’t an equivalent system in the Republic, but it is being worked on. They are increasingly referring to the risk assessment tools we use. Northern Ireland has moved to an integrated criminal justice model. There’s an inter- departmental strategy on sexual violence. Sexual violence isn’t just an issue for the criminal justice system.”

Under the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Act it is a crime not to vet potential employees in the UK. The Republic does not have such a stringent law.

Both jurisdictions face considerable challenges in dealing with offenders who come to Ireland from other countries to Brendan Smyth leaving a Belfast court in 1994 work. Many East European and African countries do not have centralised records, lessen his risk level. “In the Republic, the computerised systems or vetting systems. funding for the sex offenders treatment Some do not have extradition programme has to be reapplied for every arrangements with Ireland or the UK. year, and in the North there is also a big McAuley recalls one extradition from pull back on funds,” he says. “However, Japan which took 13 years. Ireland is also if the PSNI has to start prioritising, public used as a ‘transfer station’ for the protection is always going to be top of trafficking of women and children to the list.” other countries like Italy, the main EU consumer of such victims, McAuley says. North-South initiatives However there is longstanding good cooperation between the authorities on “The North is a fair bit ahead of us in these issues. both structure and management of systems,” says Mark Wilson, assistant McAuley is concerned that harmonisation principal officer in the Probation Service will suffer setbacks because of the in the Republic. “We don’t have a current difficult economic climate on coordinated multi-agency approach like both sides of the border. Indeterminate their’s yet, but we are embryonically sentencing, for example, might be moving in the same direction. It is challenged by an offender who claims absolutely clear that it is the best that there was no suitable programme approach.” In the Republic, he says, the available in prison to enable him to Probation Service is taking the lead role. 77

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Like McAuley, he is enthusiastic about the the two jurisdictions would ensure that levels of cross-border cooperation which sex offenders “do not gain any advantage have been developed to deal with sex by being resident on one side of the offenders. He thinks the EU context will border or the other.” help overcome some of the problems. “For example, it is difficult for us in the The Department of Justice is chairing a Republic to get someone back to court high level group including the gardai, the for a breach of a court order,” he says. prison service, the probation service and “But there is a European order well Cosc [the national office for the developed to overcome this.” prevention of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence set up in 2007]. He points to new initiatives that are This group is charged with establishing being established on a North-South basis, “an integrated multi-agency approach to like the multi-agency approach to an assessing the risk posed by sex offenders integrated strategy on managing and how to manage that risk.” It is, the homeless sex offenders. “It is like statement says, drawing up proposals “to MASRAM at grass roots level,” he says. ensure that our administrative and legal arrangements will match the best A new sexual offences law is currently practice found in other countries.” Its under preparation in the Republic and is, report is due “early in the new year.” according to the Department of Justice in Dublin, at an advanced stage. It will Susan McKay is an award-winning include, a spokesman says, “measures journalist and author of several arising” from ongoing North-South books, including Bear in Mind these deliberations on harmonisation. In a Dead (2008), a study of the statement prepared in response to a aftermath of the Northern Ireland series of questions from the Journal of conflict for those bereaved in it, and Cross Border Studies, the Department Northern Protestants: An Unsettled says that closer alignment of systems in People (2000).

REFERENCES

1 Adrian Rutherford and Deborah McAleese, Sex offender sought by police had gone on the run before, Belfast Telegraph, 18 November 2008 2 The Irish Daily Star, 18 November 2008 3 Alison Morris, On the run sex offender breached terms before, The Irish News, 18 November 2008 4 Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ), Government denies ‘harbouring sex offender’, 20 October 2006, http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1020/redpathp.html?rss, viewed 30 January 2009 78

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5 Henry McDonald, South is ‘a sanctuary for British paedophiles’, The Observer, 22 October 2006 6 Catherine Morrison, Web naming of sex offenders welcomed, The Irish News, 20 November 2006 7 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Sex offender management defeated, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5405402.stm 8 Interview with author, December 2008 9 Gene Kerrigan and Pat Brennan, 1999, The Great Little Nation, Gill & McMillan, p 267 10 Chris Moore, Betrayal of Trust: The Father Brendan Smyth Affair and the Catholic Church, Irish-American Book Company, 1995, p 16 11 Susan McKay, Rest in Peace, in Field Day Book of Irish Writing, volume 5, eds Angela Bourke et al. Cork University Press,2002, p 1536 12 Susan McKay, Predator in the Badlands, Weekend, 25 March 2006 p 44 13 ibid p 48 14 Stephen Gordon, Adams ‘master at manipulating the system’, The Belfast Telegraph, 3 June 2007 15 Catherine Morrison, Priest aided abuser, The Irish News, 26 May 2007 16 Helen Pidd, Priest jailed for helping paedophile groom girl, The Guardian, 15 June 2007 79

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VOTING FOR UNITY OR UNION? THE COMPLEXITIES OF PUBLIC OPINION ON THE BORDER ISSUE

John Coakley

In the closing months of 2008, as pressure on the retail sector and on the public finances in the Republic of Ireland intensified, much was made of a new use of the term ‘patriotism’. Senior government ministers, the Lord Mayor of Dublin and other public figures called on shoppers to concentrate their spending on the southern side of the border, and a prominent economist criticised those shopping in Northern Ireland as committing “the ultimate act of political sabotage”.1 This invocation of ‘patriotism’, John Coakley with its reference to a much narrower definition of patria than the traditional nationalist one, invites speculation as to the extent to which the Irish border may have acquired a new reality in popular consciousness.

There is nothing surprising in a This is not an easy question to answer, government wishing to maximise since public opinion polls offer revenue, or in businesses seeking to incomplete, inconclusive and sometimes protect profits, especially in the context unreliable evidence on the subject. of an economic downturn. But in this Nevertheless, it is worth exploring data of case the admonition to stay south of the this kind in an effort to assess the border clashed strongly with the stated character of Northern and especially position of the government just two years Southern attitudes towards the partition earlier, when economic integration of the of Ireland and the future of the border. two parts of the island was placed firmly The present article does so by proceeding on the agenda.2 Was this rhetorical shift through several stages. It looks in turn at simply a hard-headed response to the positions adopted by the major changed economic realities, or did it parties, the more explicitly pro-partition expose a hidden layer of pro-partition perspective of certain smaller groups, the sentiment that reflected an increasing attitudes of party supporters, and convergence between Southern differences in public opinion between the nationalist and Northern unionist Republic, Great Britain and the two perspectives on the border? communities in Northern Ireland. The 80

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concluding sections speculate on what Valera regarded unity as “inevitable but this evidence tells us about the probable postponable”, and that, like many future of the Irish border and the Southern nationalists, he saw it as a long- significance of the Belfast/Good Friday term aspiration rather than an urgent Agreement. goal.4 The outbreak of civil unrest in Northern Ireland after 1968, however, Party politics and the border forced Southern party leaders to reconsider the position. The prospect of The shift in the positions of Southern British withdrawal from Northern Ireland parties may be measured relatively easily – a longstanding, strident demand of Irish by considering how fundamental party politicians – lost its attractiveness documents, such as party constitutions, precisely as it became a realistic have been amended. All major parties in possibility in the 1970s. Instead, Irish the Dáil once subscribed to a broad governments began to pursue an nationalist consensus. In 1926, for accommodation that would accept instance, Fianna Fáil adopted as its first partition and leave responsibility for aim “to secure the unity and management of the Northern conflict independence of Ireland as a Republic”. with the British. This was accompanied Fine Gael was actually founded as the by a fundamental reorientation of the ‘United Ireland Party’ in 1933, and was thinking of party leaders, one which took more commonly known as the ‘UIP’ than two forms: an attenuation of traditional as Fine Gael in its early years. In 1934 nationalism, and an increasing the Labour Party, too, endorsed the idea acceptance of the border as an of unqualified Irish unity more decisively appropriate international frontier. than it had earlier. This consensus, with its rejection of the notion that the views The first perspective was commonly of Northern unionists mattered, was hidden behind traditional nationalist summarised most succinctly in the rhetoric, but was nevertheless publications of the all-party Anti-Partition unmistakeable. Thus the inter-party New Conference, established in 1949 and Ireland Forum, which produced its report surviving until the early 1970s. In its in 1984, went further than even the eyes, partition represented a British- traditional strategy of Fianna Fáil in imposed instrument that amounted to endorsing a unitary state on the island as the “denial of the right to self- its ideal constitutional solution (earlier determination”.3 leaders such as de Valera and Lemass had envisaged Northern Ireland’s autonomy While this perspective, like Articles 2 and continuing even in circumstances of Irish 3 of the Irish Constitution as they unity). But, unlike earlier prescriptions, appeared in 1937, paid lip service to the this would not be imposed: any solution notion of an island-wide community would have to be “freely negotiated and whose unity was ruptured by the border, agreed to by the people of the North and it has been argued persuasively that de by the people of the South” – a 81

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From ‘postponable’ unity, through unity by consent, to ‘two nations’: Eamon de Valera, Garret Fitzgerald and Conor Cruise O’Brien. recognition, in effect, of a Northern veto. in nationalist attitudes. But an alternative This was accompanied by change in the perspective – that Irish unity was not in positions of the various parties. Fine Gael fact desirable, and that the reality of policy was recast to rest on the principle partition should be fully accepted – also of consent under the leadership of Garret began to be expressed with increasing FitzGerald (1977-87), who had a frequency in the Republic. Already in the longstanding interest in the affairs of early 1970s one small organisation, the Northern Ireland. In 1991 the Labour Irish (later British and Irish) Communist Party amended its constitution, Organisation, produced a set of highly embracing the principle of unity only by original but rarely cited studies which agreement. In 1995 Fianna Fáil also explored the nature of the relationship amended its constitution, so that its first between North and South and presented objective was now “to secure in peace a ‘two nations’ interpretation of the and agreement the unity of Ireland and problem. A similar position was adopted its people”. By the 1990s, then, all three by leading public figures such as Conor parties had formally endorsed a principle Cruise O’Brien.5 which had been emerging gradually within each of them since the 1970s: The ‘two nations’ analysis was not just of Irish unity was still held out as a goal, academic significance. It clearly implied but it was now made conditional on an acceptance of the right of unionists to agreement on the part of remain outside the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland. but it was easy to extend this to a rejection of the right of Northern ‘Two nations’ thesis nationalists to join the Republic. As later articulated by Democratic Left (founded The view that Irish unity, while desirable, in 1992 by activists who had migrated was also unattainable because of political from Sinn Féin through the Workers realities in Northern Ireland, might be Party, and who eventually ended up in seen as representing simply a softening Labour), this offered a fuller 82

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justification of partition than had vengeance. Not only do such bodies as earlier been offered by any significant the EU use ‘Ireland’ to refer to the 26 political party: counties (to the exclusion of Northern Ireland); increasingly, in popular usage, The 70 years of separation from the the word refers to the Republic only. South, the development of the Already in 1983, for instance, 34% of welfare state, divergent social survey respondents in the Republic saw development North and South, and the Irish nation as constituting 26 25 years of terrorism have made counties (63% saw it as comprising 32); Northern nationalists a people apart. and only 41% saw the people of They have potentially more in Northern Ireland as ‘Irish’.7 In the quarter common with their fellow Northern century since then, this view is likely to than with their Southern have gained even wider acceptance, as neighbours. The primary objective of the generation born in a 32-county an agreement should be to unite the Ireland has gradually disappeared. people of Northern Ireland on the basis of peaceful co-existence by putting in place structures which will help develop a pluralist democracy.6

In many respects, this may be seen as an expression of a new form of ‘civic’ nationalism: one based not on any conception of loyalty to an ‘ethnic’ community, but rather focussed on the population of the state. This perspective should not be seen as in any way ‘non-nationalist’: it is Parties and polls simply based on a different (and, from the standpoint of traditional Irish Of course parties and party leaders nationalism, narrower) conception of the reflect many of the values of their ‘imagined community’ with which people followers as well as influencing them. It is identify. not, therefore, surprising that the kinds of change already described have made Linked to this is a new visualisation of inroads among supporters of the main the word ‘Ireland’. Irish officials struggled parties. Figure 1 presents responses to a for decades to secure acceptance of question on attitudes towards Irish unity ‘Ireland’ as the name of the state. By the in 2002, broken down by party. 1970s they had succeeded, with a Respondents were asked: ‘Please tell me 83

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to what extent you disagree or agree noticed component in the 1993 Downing with [this] statement: ‘the long term Street Declaration (which paved the way policy for Northern Ireland should be to for the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and, reunify with the rest of Ireland’. ultimately, for the Belfast/Good Friday Respondents who indicated their views Agreement of 1998). One clause in the are broken down in the figure by party.8 declaration made a settlement dependent The outcome is not very surprising: Sinn on endorsement by referendum not only Féin supporters emerge as those most in the North (in line with what was to committed to the ideal of Irish unity (as emerge as the ‘principle of consent’) but measured by the huge percentage also in the South. This was carried over agreeing with the proposition). Green into the Good Friday Agreement. supporters are to be found at the Crucially, following the Southern opposite end, with a large minority referendum on the Good Friday disagreeing with the unity option, Agreement in May 1998 (held to though even there a majority supported coincide with the Northern referendum Irish unity. Fianna Fáil lies close to the on the Agreement on the same day), this Sinn Féin position, with the Progressive need for Southern endorsement was Democrats and Labour closer to the written into the Irish Constitution, which Greens, and Fine Gael in the middle. now requires a united Ireland to have “the consent of a majority of the people, That support for Irish unity is substantially democratically expressed” in the Republic aspirational is clear. Surveys consistently as well as in Northern Ireland. show that the Northern Ireland issue is of little interest to voters at election time. In Given what has already been said about the 2002 survey just cited only 21% public opinion regarding the border, this thought this issue ‘very important’. may well seem like a harmless provision. Among party identifiers, the But can it be taken for granted that a corresponding figure was by far the pro-unity outcome would be forthcoming highest among Sinn Féin supporters in any future referendum in the Republic (65% rated Northern Ireland very on the issue of Irish unity? Opinion poll important); other parties ranged from data suggest that the result would 25% (Fianna Fáil) to 18% (Fine Gael and depend on the nature of the question the ). being asked, and on the context in which it was asked. We now turn to look in Perhaps because of the modest level of greater detail at the extent to which public interest in the issue of the border, public opinion supports or threatens the political leaders have been relatively free current status of the Irish border. to formulate policy as they have thought fit, and have been able to rely on a large Analysing the poll data measure of public support for their decisions. One such reformulation was There was a time when certain stark given expression in a significant but little- generalisations about attitudes towards 84

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the border could easily be made: hostility poll data from 2001-02 (the most recent in the Republic and among Northern date for which comparable data are Catholics, support among the British and available) to assess attitudes. It reports among Northern Protestants. In the early responses to the question ‘Do you think 20th century, it may well have been the the long-term policy for Northern Ireland case that these judgements represented should be for it to remain part of the something close to reality, though it was United Kingdom or to reunify with the undoubtedly the case that partition was rest of Ireland?’ in Northern Ireland regarded by many unionists not as an (separately for Catholics and Protestants) ideal solution but as a necessary evil. and in England, and responses to a slightly different question (the one After many decades of partition, already discussed on pages 82-83) in the however, and in particular under the Republic. In the UK, the question impact of civil unrest and political explicitly identified an alternative to unity violence in Northern Ireland, there (Northern Ireland remaining part of the appears to have been a re-assessment of UK), and many respondents also this position. An important survey in volunteered other options, such as 1991 carried out in the two Irish independence for Northern Ireland. In the jurisdictions and in Great Britain pointed Republic, by contrast, respondents were to sharp contrasts.9 The most widely asked how strongly they agreed or supported of seven constitutional options disagreed with the unity proposition, and for Northern Ireland, the integration of were also allowed to say that they Northern Ireland into the Republic, was neither agreed nor disagreed. supported by only 41% of people from Comparison between the bar referring to the Republic, 33% of Northern Catholics, the Republic and the other three bars 21% of British respondents and 2% of needs to bear this important difference in Northern Protestants. For the last group, mind. The data are nevertheless broadly full integration within the UK was the favoured option, supported by 61%; but this was supported by only 13% in Great Britain, 8% of Northern Catholics and 7% in the Republic. The absence of consensus on the appropriate constitutional pathway was clear.

The perspectives of the principal groups involved in the conflict are summarised in figure 2, which uses opinion 85

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comparable, and permit us to generalise onwards majorities have supported this about the attitudes of the four groups. option, following the pattern illustrated in figure 2. First, the reaction of English respondents may seem surprising: most favour Irish In contrast, Northern Protestant support unity rather than retention of the current for the union has been unwavering over constitutional arrangements. The 2001 time. As figure 2 shows, 81% of data reported here are typical of the Protestants supported the union in 2001- position in recent years: although the 02, with only 4% opting for Irish unity. actual size of the segments in the bar This pattern has been consistent since vary a little from survey to survey and 1968, and Protestant responses to other from year to year, the broad trends are questions make it clear that commitment stable. There has been sizeable support to the union is profoundly held, with a for Irish unity in all British surveys since sizeable minority of Protestants indicating the early 1970s, and there has never that they would never be able to live been majority support in a major survey with Irish unity (31% of Protestants for continuation of the union (other supporting the union in 2001-02 options, such as independence for indicated that they would find it ‘almost Northern Ireland, have drawn impossible to accept’ Irish unity).11 In considerable support, especially in the many respects, the fact that even a small past). This is consistent with another proportion of Protestants support Irish general finding of British surveys over unity may also appear surprising, but this time: there has been long-term majority figure, too, is consistent over time: it support, again dating back to the 1970s, normally lies within the 3-5% band. for military withdrawal from Northern Ireland. This led two leading analysts to The third bar in figure 2, focusing on the conclude in the 1990s that position of Northern Ireland Catholics, may well represent something of a British opinion towards Northern surprise. Here the pattern is of Ireland is characterised by high levels considerable political importance. of ambivalence and negativity. Although most Catholics indicate support Although a majority exists in favour for Irish unity, this is a bare majority, and of troop withdrawal, this does not a significant minority (18%) supports the translate into widespread support for union. Three features of this pattern need Irish unity. Rather, it would appear to be emphasised. that British opinion is more likely to support any option other than the First, it has been consistent over time. current constitutional arrangement – Catholic support for the union was very continued union with Britain.10 substantial in early surveys, and in nine annual ‘Life and Times’ surveys from Since then, British support for Irish unity 1998 to 2006 the proportion of has increased, and from the late 1990s Catholics supporting the union (excluding 86

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‘don’t knows’) ranged from 18% consistently in surveys. Instead, a whole to 29%. range of different questions has been used since the late 1960s, a practice that Second, Catholic support for Irish unity is has done little to facilitate comparison ‘softer’ than Protestant support for the over time. union. Unlike the Protestant pro-union position, only 4% of Catholics supporting Thus it has been possible for newspapers Irish unity would find it ‘almost to come up with sharply conflicting impossible to accept a position in which headlines describing public opinion in the Irish unity would never come about’. Republic on the issue of Irish unity. For example, on 18 September 2005, the Third, it should be emphasised that Sunday Independent ran a story although many Catholics support the headlined ‘‘Almost half of us would reject union, very few describe themselves as united Ireland’, which reported that 45% ‘unionist’, or vote for unionist parties. In would not vote for a united Ireland, and the pro-union segment in the Northern of the 55% who were ‘open’ to Ireland Catholic bar in figure 2, for supporting it, half indicated that they instance, only 3% of pro-union Catholics would not be prepared to pay higher described themselves as ‘unionist’ (47% taxes to support unity. Less than six opted for ‘nationalist’, and 49% for months later, though, on 2 April 2006, a ‘neither’, excluding ‘don’t knows’). In Sunday Business Post news item entitled respect of party support, 75% of the ‘Majority want a nation once again’ same group supported the SDLP, 10% reported that almost 80% ‘would like to Sinn Féin, 9% the Alliance Party, 5% the see a united Ireland’, and that 22% and 1% the DUP. believed that this should be the government’s first priority. The final bar in figure 2, relating to the Republic of Ireland, is the most While the difference between these challenging one. The absence of perspectives might be dismissed as a symmetry between Northern Catholics dispute over whether the glass of and Protestants in their attitudes towards territorial nationalism is half full or half the union (with Protestant support for empty, it does suggest that responses are the union much stronger than Catholic highly sensitive to political context and, support for Irish unity) is reflected in the of course, to question wording. In the respective attitudes of the Southern Irish event of a referendum in the Republic on and the British. Instead of anti-partition the issue of Irish unity, then, the Irish and pro-union British, we find in electorate’s response would depend on effect anti-partition majorities in both the kind of package of which unity was a states. This is, however, particularly part, on the manner in which this difficult to measure on the Irish side, as package was presented, and on cues no standard question on attitudes from political leaders. It is unlikely that towards Northern Ireland has been asked any such package would be presented to 87

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the voters unless political leaders felt they the proportion of Protestants continues could deliver – and wanted to deliver. to decline steadily among older age cohorts, that the overall proportion of The future of the border Catholics has been increasing gradually since 1971, and that Catholics already If we are to assess the prospects for the outnumber Protestants among those future constitutional relationship between aged less than 25. It seems probable that Northern Ireland and the Republic, it is in due course Catholics will outnumber important to bear in mind the Protestants in the overall population, perspectives of the major groups though there are other demographic involved. The most important interest by considerations which may thwart or delay far is the British, dwarfing the population this process – or, alternatively, hasten it. of both parts of the island, and retaining ultimate political control over Northern However, even if a stage is reached when Ireland. It seems clear that British public Catholics constitute a majority among opinion substantially supports Irish unity, those of voting age, stark political and this is reflected in the formal policy conclusions should not be drawn. For at of the British Government. Already in least the past four decades, there has 1985 the British Government joined the been a solid, stable group of pro-union Irish Government in solemnly declaring Catholics, and unless the attachment of that “if in the future a majority of the this group to the union is weakened it people of Northern Ireland clearly wish will act as a permanent impediment to for and formally consent to the Irish unity. Should Northern Ireland establishment of a united Ireland, they change its mind on the issue of Irish will introduce and support in the unity, this is less likely to be a respective Parliaments legislation to give consequence of crude demographic shift effect to that wish”. Unlike its position in than of a change in attitude of a respect of Scotland and Wales, then, the sizeable section of the pro-union British Government has made clear its population, Catholic and Protestant – a willingness to disengage from Northern change of which up to now there have Ireland should a majority there so wish, been few signs. and to facilitate unity with the Republic. If the British Government has handed its Within Northern Ireland itself, the key to the cross-border gateway back to position is more complex. Among the people of Northern Ireland, this key is Protestants, support for the union is no longer sufficient to open the lock. A monolithic, but among Catholics support second key is required, and this is now for Irish unity is much less wholehearted. vested in the people of the Republic, This means that it is particularly whose assent to Irish unity has been a dangerous to make political predictions formal requirement since the Good Friday on the basis of demographic data. The Agreement took effect. Is this assent results of the 2001 census showed that likely to be forthcoming? The complexity 88

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of Southern opinion on Northern Ireland unity – regardless of the means being has been discussed already, and the advocated. There are no votes in 32- impact of partition in prompting a county nationalism. Thus any real redefinition of nationalist values has been move to press for Irish unity, be it noted. As one observer put it, “while from within the Republic itself, from national unity has been prominent within Northern Ireland, or from Britain, is twentieth century Irish political discourse, unlikely to be welcomed by the the physical border created between the average citizen in the Republic. Unity North and South has slowly been would be nice. But if it’s going to incorporated into conceptions of Irish cost money, or result in violence, or national identity.”12 disrupt the moral and social equilibrium, then it’s not worth it. The extent to which the border has Certainly, politics in the Republic is contributed to a redefinition of attitudes about nationalism, but for much of in the Republic may be illustrated further. the post-war epoch the vision of that There appears to have been a significant nationalism has extended only to the convergence between the attitudes of 26 counties.15 Southern Protestants and Catholics – populations once as remote from each Reconsidering the Belfast Agreement other politically as their Northern counterparts. A survey in 1999-2000 If this judgement is valid, then the showed that Southern Protestants were meaning of the Good Friday Agreement almost as supportive of Irish unity as needs to be reconsidered. It is true that it Southern Catholics.13 But if formerly did open the door to Irish unity, by mutually antagonistic communities in the charting a constitutional route to it for South have grown together, they have the first time. But it also placed some also grown apart from their Northern formidable obstacles on that route, and counterparts. In a major 1988-89 survey embedded these in the Irish Constitution, in the Republic, for instance, most which now offers Northern unionists a respondents agreed that ‘Northern much more secure guarantee than any Ireland and the Irish Republic are two legal provision within their own state. separate nations’, and that ‘Catholics in Indeed, it may be that Southern Northern Ireland have more in common politicians will raise further the threshold with Northern Protestants than they have required for Irish unity. Even the main with Catholics in the Republic’.14 The Southern architect of the 1998 position has been summarised accurately Agreement, former Taoiseach Bertie in one thoughtful study of attitudes in Ahern, has suggested that mechanical the Republic: pro-unity majorities in the two jurisdictions would be insufficient. The vast bulk of Irish voters are not Interviewed shortly after standing down interested in Northern Ireland, and as Taoiseach, he expressed the view that are not interested in pursuing Irish “a united Ireland could not be achieved 89

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by a simple majority poll in favour of border, they may indeed be seen as constitutional change”; instead, he hinted reflecting a form of local patriotism. But towards a more consensual approach, the unselfconscious manner in which suggesting that support from a “sizeable many of these proposals have been made amount of people” North and South suggests that the border has a profound would be required.16 reality that transcends politics and arises from a strong sense of 26-county If, then, traditional nationalists have no identity. If this is the case, then cross- reason to welcome the Good Friday border metaphorical bridges acquire a Agreement as a device by which double significance: they are needed not Northern Ireland may be enticed into the just to expose Southern society to Republic, its very role in guaranteeing the Northern Ireland, but also to generate constitutional status quo may, by empathy with both communities in undermining unionist insecurity, help to Northern Ireland on the part of the build bridges in the longer term. Even the people of the Republic. forms of cross-border economic competition that have been portrayed as John Coakley is Professor of Politics having a negative effect on the Southern and Head of the School of Politics economy may play a role in making the and International Relations in border more permeable. If the border is University College Dublin. He has indeed one day to disappear, this is more recently edited or co-edited Politics likely to arise from the impact of a in the Republic of Ireland (4th ed., network of small social bridges, rather Routledge, 2004); Renovation or than being a consequence of the revolution? New territorial politics in constitutional highway that is so visible a Ireland and the United Kingdom feature of the Good Friday Agreement. (UCD Press, 2005), and Crossing the border: new relationships between When political leaders call on the people Northern Ireland and the Republic of of the Republic to shop south of the Ireland (Irish Academic Press, 2007).

REFERENCES

Acknowledgement: The author would like to thank Christopher Farrington for comments on an earlier draft of this article.

1 ‘NI shopping patriotic sabotage: Power’, RTE News, Ireland, 24 Nov 2008; available http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1124/economy.html; David McKittrick, ‘Irish shoppers told to serve their country’, Independent, 28 Nov. 2008. 2 British and Irish governments, ‘Comprehensive study on the all-island economy’, 27 Oct 2006, available http://archive.nics.gov.uk/ofmdfm/final271006.pdf. 3 All-Party Anti-Partition Conference, Ireland’s right to unity: the case stated by the All-Party Anti-Partition Conference, Mansion House, Dublin, Ireland. 2nd ed. 90

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Dublin: Mansion House Committee, [1949]. The evolution of this thinking is discussed in John Coakley, ‘Conclusion: new strains of unionism and nationalism’, in John Coakley, ed., Changing shades of orange and green: redefining the union and the nation in contemporary Ireland. Dublin: UCD Press, 2002, pp. 132-54. 4 John Bowman, De Valera and the Ulster question, 1917-1973. Oxford: Clarendon, 1982, pp. 305-15. 5 See, in particular, The economics of partition; The birth of Ulster unionism; and The home rule crisis, Dublin: Irish Communist Organisation, 1969, 1970 and 1972, and Conor Cruise O’Brien, States of Ireland, London: Hutchinson, 1972. 6 Setting a new agenda: a framework for agreement on Northern Ireland. Dublin: Democratic Left, 1994. 7 W Harvey Cox, ‘Who wants a united Ireland?’, Government and opposition 20 (1) 1985, pp. 29-47. On diplomatic conflict regarding the name ‘Ireland’, see John Coakley, ‘“Irish Republic”, “Eire” or “Ireland”? The contested name of John Bull’s other island’, Political quarterly 80 (1) 2009, pp. 49-58. 8 These data refer only to those who said they ‘feel close’ to a particular political party; computed from Irish National Election Study, 2002. 9 Brendan O’Leary, ‘Public opinion and Northern Irish futures’, Political quarterly 63 (2) 1992, pp. 143-170. The other five options were the existing status quo (direct rule and the Anglo-Irish agreement), devolved government with power sharing, joint British-Irish rule, independence for Northern Ireland, and repartition. 10 Bernadette C Hayes and Ian McAllister, ‘British and Irish public opinion towards the Northern Ireland problem’, Irish political studies 11, 1996, pp. 61-82, at p. 70. See also Richard Rose, Ian McAllister and Peter Mair, Is there a concurring majority about Northern Ireland? Glasgow: Centre for the Study of Public Policy, University of Strathclyde, 1978. 11 Northern Ireland Life and Times surveys, 2001 and 2002. The discussion in these paragraphs is based on responses from 1,379 pro-union Protestants and 768 Catholic supporters of Irish reunification. 12 Thomas C Davis, ‘The Irish and their nation: a survey of recent attitudes’, Global review of ethnopolitics 2 (2) 2003, pp. 17-36, at p. 33. 13 Tony Fahey, Bernadette C Hayes and Richard Sinnott, Conflict and consensus: a study of values and attitudes in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration, 2005, p. 90. 14 Micheál Mac Gréil, Prejudice in Ireland revisited. Maynooth: Survey and Research Unit, St Patrick’s College, 1996, p. 233. 15 Peter Mair, ‘The Irish Republic and the Anglo-Irish agreement’, in Paul Teague, ed., Beyond the rhetoric: politics, the economy and social policy in Northern Ireland. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1987, pp. 81-110, at p. 105. 16 Belfast Telegraph, 20 Nov. 2008. 91

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TOWARDS COSMOPOLITANISM? RENEWING IRISHNESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Robin Wilson

The annual obeisance by nationalist parties at the grave of the revolutionary republican Wolfe Tone, like all such affirmations, ‘forges’ a relationship with the past in both senses of the word. It establishes a line of apostolic succession in the same moment as it re-presents the historical record to suit a contemporary concern. It makes two statements: however unsettlingly Ireland may have changed over the centuries, ‘Irishness’ remains a rock of certainty to which to cling; and, however much Robin Wilson nationalism in Europe has, in the wake of the wars of the Yugoslav succession, acquired a negative connotation, its Irish variant still drinks from the pure spring of a civic republican source.

In his survey of contemporary debates on often been said, is a foreign country, and nationalism, Umut Özkırımlı urges a we will never find ourselves there.”2 critical stance towards the first of these claims. Nationalism does work on pre- As to the second assertion, republicanism modern cultural materials but it selects is a philosophy of popular sovereignty and appropriates these according to rather than territorial demarcation.3 And contemporary concerns: nationalism the idea that a ‘civic’ nationalism can be precedes, and constitutes, the nation, yet distilled from any ‘ethnic’ source fails to it covers its tracks, so to speak, recognise that any variety of nationalism, presenting the latter as if it were eternal.1 in privileging a particular ‘imagined And in his discussion of the migrations community’, contradicts the principle of and meldings of populations in medieval equality.4 Thomas Miley has shown, for Europe – in which any notion of an example, how in Spain ‘good’ Catalan undiluted ‘Celtic’ past dissolves – Patrick nationalism cannot be demarcated from Geary contends: “Congruence between ‘bad’ Basque nationalism in this way.5 early medieval and contemporary ‘peoples’ is a myth … The past, as has Laying the foundation stone of a 92

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monument in Wexford to the 1798 rising selfless, David-against-Goliath fighters for on its centenary, the historian of the an Ireland which their proclamation rising Father Kavanagh – who wanted to implied, in the classic language of impose a boycott on Protestant nationalist awakening, lay fully formed businesses in the town – illustrated the under the carapace of British rule. This difficulty. He said the monument would dramatic literary device obscured what be “proof to future generations that we was in effect an attempted putsch by a were imbued with the spirit of the men small minority of the original Irish of ‘98”, who had “died for a persecuted Volunteers. creed as well as an oppressed country”. Retelling this story over a century later, At the end of the first decade of the the contemporary historian Roy Foster 20th century, with the country “in its acidly comments: “The creed mentioned broad culture, more and more deeply was clearly not that of the French absorbed into the United Kingdom”, it revolution.”6 had appeared “that Ireland would have, before 1920, an autonomous Periods of nationalism government, led by , putting in place a final settlement that Gerard Delanty and Patrick O’Mahony would make the country a settled and establish a useful periodisation of contented part of His Majesty’s nationalism: broadly ‘liberal’ until 1870, dominions”.12 Unsurprisingly, when the then principally ‘integral’ or ‘authoritarian revolution and civil war followed, “little reactionary’ up to the Second World War, of this affected more than the brass with ‘state patriotism’ post-war and then plates on the doors, and the heart of the the ethno-nationalism that took hold in machine continued to beat to the Northern Ireland after 1969 and in post- rhythms of Whitehall”.13 Communist Europe after 1989.7 Hence the paradox that the formation of the By the time of the 90th commemoration Irish State in 1922 saw a socially of the rising in 2006, it had been conservative society emerge all the while forgotten in the official Irish story14 that protesting that it stemmed from an what had disrupted the Home Rule ‘emancipatory struggle’.8 The strong scenario, uncomfortably, was the anti- farmer class which had prevailed in the democratic revolt of . As land war,9 with its urban petit bourgeois Charles Townshend noted in a text allies, assumed control of the new state.10 published in the run-up to the As Kevin O’Higgins remarked: “We were anniversary: “It was this armed threat probably the most conservative that transformed and militarised the revolutionaries that ever put across a language of Irish politics as the Home successful revolution”.11 Rule crisis unfolded”.’15 In his 1913 article ‘The north began’, widely seen as The ‘men of 1916’ were of course to seminal in the formation of the enter the nationalist pantheon – cast as Volunteers, Eoin MacNeill had welcomed 93

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the emergence of the Ulster Volunteer the revolutionary notion of the Force, while days later Patrick Pearse had modern republic – as expressed in described himself similarly “glad that the the Enlightenment notion of popular Orangemen have armed, because it is a sovereignty – were rejected in favour goodly thing to see arms in Irish of a cultural notion of the Republic hands”.16 defined by reference to a communitarian sense of What unfolded in Ireland in the context nationhood.18 of an imperialist European war was a security dilemma much like that This exclusive nationalism, of which key occasioned by the collapse of the elements were Eamon de Valera’s claim Yugoslav state in the 1990s, in which that Ireland had been “a nation from the paramilitarism provided the illusion of dawn of history”19 and William Butler security amid ethnic polarisation.17 Any Yeats’ rejection of modernity in favour of idealistic, republican aspirations a return to the mythic Gaelic past,20 manifested in the Easter Rising were as succeeded in establishing an external often as not lost in the subsequent cycle frontier. It was one, however, that of violent repression and reprisal – so inevitably fell well short of the island as a well captured in Roddy Doyle’s A Star whole, being incompatible with the Called Henry – of subsequent years. industrialised and exporting north— epitomised by the world’s then largest It was no basis on which to found a spinning mill in York Street, Belfast, with modern state legitimised in the only way its 55,000 spindles and 1,000 looms.21 that a modern state should be – by Despite the transformation of economic adherence to the universal norms of fortunes in recent decades, the democracy, human rights and the rule of suggestion by the Minister of Finance, law. Cultural nationalism filled the gap. Brian Lenihan, that ‘patriotic’ shoppers As O’Mahony and Delanty contend: should stop before Newry indicates the frontier is still well embedded in the The modern notion of the Republic official mind. tended to express the communitarian idea of a society defined by the unity The ideal scenario advanced by some of tradition along confessional lines: during the second decade of the 20th a civic idea thus became transformed century had been ‘home rule all round’, into a culturally specific identity, with which would have preserved the unity of perpetually latent primordial Ireland but which failed due to British elements, emphasising that only state conservatism. It envisaged a wider certain categories of the population decentralisation of governance, including would belong, being added later. devolution to Scotland and Wales, that Thus both the liberal notion of the was foreign to the state centralism which state – as expressed in the Whig was vaunted by tradition in London. Its ideology of the Ascendancy – and tantalising potential became 94

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retrospectively evident as the 20th which the term could be fitted like a century closed, when unionist resistance glove to a hand”.28 to accommodation was eased by wider devolution alongside cooperation Indeed the political scientist Markus between London and Dublin. O’Mahony Kornprobst has shown how Irishness was and Delanty argue that home rule all subject to a 20th century reconstruction. round represented “the great missed He demonstrates, on the basis of Dáil opportunity in Anglo-Irish relations”.22 debates and associated newspaper editorials, a shift from an Irishness Instead, the frontier of partition was to conceived in terms of the colonial be closed ‘on the inside’.23 Ireland was paradigm, characterised by a conservative defined as agrarian and pious, against a Anglophobia and pre-eminently materialist and degenerate England, and associated with de Valera, to a modern decades of clerical authoritarianism, European version developed by Garret censorship and a quixotically coercive FitzGerald and Conor Cruise O’Brien but language policy ensued.24 now widely accepted across the party spectrum.29 The latter has been more ‘Being Irish’, the title of an article by conducive than the former to fostering Ciarán O’Kelly, meant in this context reconciliation across the island as subscribing to a collectivised a whole. communitarian ideal, in contradiction to liberal-individualist values.25 In 2000 Tom Garvin was to detect a Independence had been claimed on transition towards “a general Irish civic cultural grounds rather than those of patriotism which does not need to attach justice, and such claims were inherently itself to a religious or tribal identity”.30 intolerant of individual dissent, This is in line with the wider notion of jeopardising as this did the essentialised ‘constitutional patriotism’ advanced by representation of ‘Irish Ireland’.26 Within Jürgen Habermas, where civic allegiance this world, Europe was to represent the is given to democratic institutions, rather perceived threat that “any loss of than to the nation31 – Habermas is all too sovereignty will lead to a loss of cultural aware of where that led in his native homogeneity”.27 Germany. In such a conception, Irishness can be affirmed positively, rather than Reconstructing Irishness being defined in opposition to a stereotyped ‘other’, while at the same This is not, of course, the only possible time not suggesting that one’s nation has way of being Irish. Pietra Costa stresses a special providential mission that “‘nation’ is not a given reality that distinguishing it from lesser mortals. only awaits the right name to emerge on the scene, as if there already existed a Constitutional patriotism is a notion as French, German or Italian ethnicity, a applicable at the transnational level of the homogeneous class of individuals, to European Union as the nation state. It is 95

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‘No’ campaigners celebrate victory in the Republic’s June 2008 Lisbon Treaty referendum essential for multi-ethnic societies such religion central to nationalist as the Republic has become, with over mobilisation. By contrast, she argues, in 10% of the population ‘non-Irish’ the Republic of Ireland the historic according to the 2006 Census. Indeed, supremacy of the Catholic Church over for all the travails of power-sharing in the state and the erosion of British-Irish Northern Ireland,32 even this shows how antagonism have been associated with allegiance to (in this case regional) the secularisation of Irish national identity democratic institutions can be in the context of the loss of church constructed in a divided society – in the authority associated in particular with the sense that all parties, whatever their clerical child abuse scandals.33 nationalistic predilections on either side, now at least have to pay lip-service to The ‘no’ vote on the Lisbon treaty power-sharing devolution. showed, however, the limits of this transition. The referendum vote in June Clearly, in recent decades the Catholic leg 2008 came shortly before Ireland was hit of the Catholic nationalist stool on which by the full force of the implosion of Irishness conventionally rested has been global capital markets. It represented the severely weakened. In her comparative worst possible time to dip into the assessment of Irish and Greek isolationist discourse which had been so nationalisms, Daphne Halikiopoulou has decisively rejected by in his shown how in Greece the historic break with protectionist stagnation nearly subordination of the Orthodox Church to half a century earlier. The Irish the state and the continued presence of Government’s response to the credit crisis a perceived external enemy have made the following September was a beggar- 96

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my-neighbour guarantee to Irish banks, earlier claim by Catherine Frost that the giving them an unfair comparative Republic had not yet entered a ‘post- advantage, rather than following the nationalist’ phase.37 For that to have been wider European approach of the case, she argued, the state would recapitalisation (although it was now be characterised by three features eventually forced to take this route too). embodied in the civic republican and cosmopolitan variants of post- A respected French commentator, nationalism: Dominique Moïsi, linked the two events • relaxed citizenship membership, in a manner highlighting the severity of • address of systemic inequalities, and the loss of European goodwill on which • increased public engagement.38 so much of the Republic’s last two decades of success have been based. He Frost suggested that the 2004 citizenship wrote: “The gold medal for selfishness referendum rolling back the more open may once more be given to the Irish, access to Irish citizenship signalled in the who have followed the ingratitude of Belfast Agreement, the sustained their ‘no’ vote on the Lisbon treaty with inequalities associated with the Celtic absolute contempt towards the search Tiger and the ineffectiveness of the little for a collective solution to the known Democracy Commission in 200539 financial crisis.”34 indicated that none of these three features had become embedded. That the While at home the government state still had difficulty dealing with suggested that post-referendum options diversity was shown by its decision to were open, that Europe needed to help abolish the independent National and that haste should be made slowly, it Consultative Committee on Racism and quickly became clear from the reaction of Interculturalism (NCCRI), ostensibly on foreign ministers in France and Germany financial grounds. that the Republic would have to endure a ‘humiliating’ Lisbon referendum rerun or Analysis by Richard Sinnott of the Lisbon face the other 26 member states moving ‘no’ found that, apart from lack of on without it.35 members confident knowledge of the issues, a heard from the (Irish) Secretary General second major factor, as detected in Irish of the European Commission, Catherine Times polling, was a desire “to keep Day, that the Republic’s reputation in Ireland’s power and identity”. He linked Europe had been “tarnished”, and from this with evidence from the spring 2007 RTE’s Brussels correspondent, Seán Eurobarometer survey, which had asked: Whelan that the predominant reaction “In the near future do you see yourself as there to the Irish ‘no’ had been Irish only, Irish and European, European “incomprehension, incredulity, anger and and Irish, or European only?” 59% opted cynicism”.36 for an exclusively Irish identity – a nationalist stance only trumped in its The Lisbon vote dramatically bore out the insularity by UK respondents.40 97

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Limits of republicanism ghettoised banlieus within an official discourse which refuses to recognise So is the way ahead beyond nationalism ethnic minority affiliations coming to reinvest in civic republicanism or to between le citoyen and l’état. And look to the cosmopolitan alternative? The Ireland, North as well as South, has had re-interment in Dublin in 2001 of the to come to terms within only the last bones of 10 republicans who died during decade or so with the substantial inward the war of independence and the migration associated with the recent restoration of the military parade in phase of globalisation. O’Connell Street for the 2006 Easter commemoration suggested the civic Insofar as it treats all citizens in a manner republican route was being pursued by philosophically abstracted from their the state. A more reflective approach to individual diversity, as homogeneous 1916 might consider that, like a sepia ‘political man’, the discourse of image of the event, it should be allowed republicanism has been stretched to the to fade into history—though not be limit as that diversity has expanded in airbrushed from it. reality. All will assimilate, republicanism assumes, into ‘one nation under God’; all Republicanism may have exhausted its will come to respect the ‘values of the political repertoire. With its origins in the Republic’. And this can readily acquire an American and French revolutions, in authoritarian ring. As Iseult Holohan principle it trumpets freedom and explains the republican view: “The equality, giving it the long shelf life it has primacy of the public means that duties enjoyed. In an Irish context, and come before rights.”42 And as Garvin internationally, it has held the moral high argues, “a certain exclusiveness has ground over unionism, which has tended always run through traditional republican to manifest itself in the integralist- political thought”.43 nationalist, conservative form epitomised by the former South Down MP Enoch Republicanism, implying as it does that Powell41 or the Protestant fundamentalism the views of the disengaged can be embodied by Rev Ian Paisley. discarded, can even come to justify an elitism of the politically engaged. And it Yet the contemporary US (and in this the can fail to see how a genuine equality of Republic, like the UK, is close behind) is citizens is only compatible with a one of the most unequal states in the perspective of integration, not developed world, and one in which— assimilation, in which dialogue resolves until the dramatic election as president of the challenge of diversity and the state Barack Obama—swathes of its largely arbitrates impartially between the black and Hispanic poor did not or could competing claims made upon it. not exercise the basic right to vote. France, meanwhile, has found itself Such impartiality is impossible, for unable to resolve the challenge of its example, where the principal public 98

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services of education and secondary the universal nature of the game and of health care are controlled by or imbued the norms of ‘fair play’ on which it is, in with the ethos of a particular church. principle, based, dovetail with Hence the crisis in in north intercultural ideals.46 Claiming that feeling county Dublin in September 2007, when ‘at home’ in Irish football is part and the equation between public and parcel of feeling at home in Ireland, it Catholic education required the opening contends: “The FAI wants everyone of an emergency school, in effect for resident in the State to feel they can black children. spontaneously enjoy the successes – and endure the failures – of the national In August 2007, the Minister of State team. This is an example of how with responsibility for integration, Conor integration in football can be a building- Lenihan, spoke in assimilationist mode block of integration in the wider when he suggested foreign nationals society.”47 And the FAI has translated this needed to understand the ways things into a series of concrete intercultural were done in Ireland. He said: “When the initiatives at all levels of the game. President and Ministers travel to the Middle East, they accept the cultural Emergence of cosmopolitanism requirements of the country and the culture they are operating in. It is a vice- If republicanism is running out of political versa situation with regard to Ireland.”44 steam, cosmopolitanism is coming into its own. Delanty and O’Mahony argue that it It is for this reason that the Council of is gaining credibility as an antidote to Europe White Paper on Intercultural ‘destructive nationalism’.48 David Held and Dialogue, launched by the 47 member his colleagues assert that “in the state foreign ministers in May 2008, millennium ahead each citizen of a state distinguished the interculturalist approach will have to learn to become a from that of assimilation – and, indeed, ‘cosmopolitan citizen’ as well: that is, a from the now also discredited UK person capable of mediating between philosophy of multiculturalism, which national traditions, communities of fate met its nadir in the 2001 riots between and alternative forms of life”. Citizenship young whites and Asians in northern in the future must encompass “dialogue English mill towns. Interculturalism with the traditions and discourse of privileges dialogue across communal others with the aim of expanding the boundaries and is committed to horizons of one’s own framework of integration as a two-way street, in which meaning, and increasing the scope of ‘majorities’ as well as ‘minorities’ are mutual understanding”.49 transformed.45 This entails a world where ‘multiple An example of what this means in citizenships’ are possible – as in the practice is the Intercultural Football Plan Belfast/Good Friday Agreement referring published by the Football Association of to the right of everyone in Northern Ireland in mid-2007. The plan argues that Ireland to choose to be “Irish or British, 99

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or both”. Far from cosmopolitanism philosophy of cosmopolitanism as being merely “the class consciousness of articulated by Held – which may partly frequent travellers”,50 we can “look to explain why A Shared Future was the unspectacular, practical, everyday life shelved by the Democratic Unionist Party activities that allow movement beyond and Sinn Fein when they became the group identities to the business of simply dominant governing parties after living together and solving practical devolution was renewed in 2007. problems collectively”.51 According to Held, cosmopolitanism is This chimes with the aim set out in the based on three premises: UK Government’s 2005 policy framework • egalitarian individualism, which on ‘community relations’ in Northern treats individuals, not states or Ireland, A Shared Future: “the ‘communities’, as the unit of moral establishment over time of a normal, civic concern and recognises that each society, in which all individuals are individual is equally worthy of respect considered as equals, where differences and consideration; are resolved through dialogue in the • reciprocal recognition, which public sphere, and where all people are involves acknowledgment by treated impartially.”52 That aim was everyone of this condition of equal designed53 to embody the political worth; and 100

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• impartial treatment, which as the late Norberto Bobbio pointed out, requires public authorities to treat the is the unit of all democratic constitutions. claims advanced by individuals and It places the citizen centre stage, not the associations on principles on which collectivised ‘imagined community’ – all can act.54 with all the consequences that had, in Ireland and Yugoslavia, in the last It offers a philosophy not only century. It does not therefore abandon appropriate to the challenges of Northern social solidarity but, on the contrary, Ireland – just think of the relevance of makes it possible in heterogeneous ‘impartial treatment’ to the troubled societies through recognition of our history of the region – but to democratic common humanity and the reciprocal societies generally in the 21st century. obligations which arise. Interestingly, as Nor is it a philosophy ‘foreign’ to a wider the Republic has become more diverse in Irish context. Indeed, in his nuanced recent years, public opinion has also rewriting of the 20th century Irish story, become more egalitarian, according to a Diarmaid Ferriter has done a service in recent survey commissioned by the think reinserting at the heart of the narrative tank TASC.57 many often marginalised figures – Tom Kettle, Louie Bennett, Seán O’Casey, Seán Critically, cosmopolitanism replaces O Faoláin, Samuel Beckett and Hubert nationalism by a project of constitutional Butler among them – who in their various tolerance. Ulrich Beck contends that the ways embodied a cosmopolitan sense of ‘cosmopolitan state’ is “grounded in the what Irishness might mean.55 principle of the state’s neutrality towards nationality and allows national identities Cosmopolitanism makes a fundamental to exist side by side through the principle break with homogeneous conceptions of of constitutional tolerance”.58 It was national identity: if all Ferriter’s eventually to be recognised after the cosmopolitan characters could have been religious wars in Europe (albeit very gathered into one room at the same belatedly in Ireland) that only the time, they might have felt themselves separation of church and state could kindred spirits but the one certain guarantee freedom of conscience. By the outcome is that they would have argued. same token, in the wake of the And it recognises that no national nationalistic wars of the 20th century, the ‘tradition’ can be set in aspic in the face European Union has established – within of the displacements effected by and between the member states – a capitalist development and global peaceful regime associated with the migration – a theme so well explored, in separation of nation and state.59 an Irish context, in the novels of Dermot Bolger. In recent times, the Irish state has sought to manage diversity by supporting a Cosmopolitanism is compatible with the relatively successful policy of ‘individualistic concept of society’ which, interculturalism in the Republic but a 101

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contrasting multiculturalist approach of which protects us from the horrors to ‘parity of esteem’ in the North. As in the which aggressive nationalism and Netherlands,60 where it led to the intolerance can lead – as we, of all emergence of the anti-Muslim politician Europeans, should know. Pim Fortuyn and the Islamist killing of the film-maker Theo van Gogh, Conclusion multiculturalism in Northern Ireland has inadvertently reinforced ghettoisation and Irishness came to be defined in the 19th intolerance, symbolised in Belfast by the century by the separation of the tectonic proliferating ‘peace walls’.61 Now we plates of Protestantism and Catholicism. have a worrying vacuum on the whole They separated as they became associated island, with the expiry in 2008 of the with the connotations of ‘Irish’ and National Action Plan Against Racism and ‘British’ and, even more antagonistically, the abolition of the NCCRI62 and the ‘nationalist’ versus ‘unionist’, with in each long-awaited devolved successor to A case the ethnic protagonists embodying Shared Future still to appear.63 the self-regard encapsulated in Sigmund Freud’s notion of the “narcissism of minor The chance to retain a single political difference”. The National Schools, for jurisdiction in Ireland, it is now clear instance, which arose with mass nearly a century on, was lost with the schooling, were, because of church failure of ‘home rule all round’. The opposition, to be anything but.64 beauty of cosmopolitanism is that it allows a united approach to be adopted As with Lebanese nationalism, which across the two jurisdictions to the counterposed itself to French colonialism, otherwise insoluble problem of multi- was self-declaredly national diversity, based on the pursuit of progressive and secular, when in reality it constitutional tolerance across the island. became deeply imbued with communalist associations.65 The global ethnic conflict Irishness in this context will be expert Stefan Wolff explains the recognised as neither unchanging nor consequences simply: “Different ethnic exclusive – it will be accessible to any identities can, and in many cases do, citizens willing to embrace constitutional peacefully coexist in the same state; patriotism, whatever other national different nationalisms cannot”.66 identities they may retain. It will coexist and overlap with Britishness (and other That antagonism is for most people in identities) in the North, rather than these islands now largely irrelevant. But it sustaining a war of attrition against it. is sustained in the North through the And it is hoped that people voting in the meaningless, in the sense of inoperable, second referendum on Lisbon in autumn slogan of ‘parity of esteem’ between 2009 will appreciate that Europe is not a unionists and nationalists. The bizarre conspiracy to destroy Irish identity, but a logic of that slogan has been for the Irish transnational governance arrangement state to elect to mark the even more 102

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brutal and inhuman ‘blood sacrifice’ of in the North was hindered, rather than the Somme alongside the Easter Rising. helped, by that party’s commitment to pursuit of a nationalist consensus until A cosmopolitan redefinition of Irishness shortly before the 1998 Belfast would move in precisely the opposite Agreement.70 direction. At its core it is “the inclusion of the other in one’s own life”.67 Thus a Cosmopolitanism may have been cosmopolitan approach would not be historically associated in the public mind associated with restrictions on with elitism and idealism.71 Yet, ironically, immigration to Ireland motivated by it is the only practical way to deal with ‘security’ concerns, as in the 2008 today’s world of ‘really existing Immigration, Residence and Protection cosmopolitanization’.72 Nowhere is the Bill, the subject of criticism from the Irish choice between nationalist and Human Rights Commission and the cosmopolitan definitions of Irishness United Nations Commissioner on Human more stark than on the European canvas. Rights.68 The success of decades of European In education, a cosmopolitan perspective integration has rested on the replacement would seek to reverse the 19th century of the old, zero-sum game of clashing concession to clerical control. In May state sovereignties by a positive-sum 2007 the European Commission against game of transnational intermeshing.73 Racism and Intolerance, part of the The failure of the Lisbon ‘yes’ campaign Council of Europe, called on the Republic to put across this important point of Ireland to “promote multi- effectively led to the diplomatic debacle denominational or non-denominational of the ‘no’ vote, following schools and adopt the necessary unsubstantiated conspiratorial claims legislation to that end”.69 The community about the many demons Europe was school is an important innovation in that apparently set to unleash on the regard but looks set to remain, like Irish people. integrated education in the North, a marginal one. It also led to the perverse, post- referendum outcome where the retention Most radically, it would mean abandoning of one commissioner per state, contrary partisanship towards the nationalist ‘side’ to Lisbon, has been presented by the in Northern Ireland, officially secured in government as a victory. By reinforcing the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, in lowest common denominator inter- favour of a commitment to long-overdue governmentalism within the EU, not only reconciliation within Northern Ireland, as will this debilitate the capacity of an well as between the two parts of the expanding Europe to act in a concerted island. Catherine O’Donnell has way on the global stage, at a time when painstakingly demonstrated that under this has never been more essential. It is governments led by Fianna Fail progress also contrary to the interest of small 103

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states in a European Commission whose face of the stark choice between a members do not see themselves as mere savage retrenchment of the public realm national representatives: the Commission, and a strengthened fiscal effort rooted in committed to the overall European public social solidarity, that realisation will be interest, is meant to offset the capacity critical to what kind of Irish society of the large states to dominate the EU via emerges from these turbulent times. the Council of Ministers. Nationalism, perversely, is thus against Ireland’s Robin Wilson, a former editor of national interest in Europe, which would Fortnight magazine and former be much better pursued through an director of the Belfast-based ‘think approach of ‘cosmopolitan realism’.74 tank’ Democratic Dialogue, co-drafted the Council of Europe True, a ‘cosmopolitanised’ Irishness will White Paper on Intercultural no longer be defined by its Dialogue and the FAI intercultural distinctiveness, which some may find plan. He also co-conducted the threatening. But, with the Celtic Tiger northern leg of the Democratic having run into the ground, its great Audit executed by TASC.75 His PhD attraction is that it allows us to redefine thesis is on ethnonationalism and ourselves internally in terms of our consociationalism in Northern mutual obligations to one another. In the Ireland.76 He is an Irish citizen.

REFERENCES

1 Umut Özkırımlı, Contemporary Debates on Nationalism: A Critical Engagement. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2005, p.38. 2 Patrick J Geary, The Myth of Nations: The Medieval Origins of Europe. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003, p.37. 3 Patrick O’Mahony and Gerard Delanty, Rethinking Irish History: Nationalism, Identity and Ideology. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 1998, p.19. 4 Özkırımlı, op. cit., p.89 5 Thomas Jeffrey Miley , A‘ gainst the thesis of the “civic nation”: the case of Catalonia in contemporary Spain’, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 2007, 13, 1: pp.1-37. 6 R F Foster, The Irish Story: Telling Tales and Making it up in Ireland. London: Allen Lane, 2001, p.220. 7 Gerard Delanty and Patrick O’Mahony, Nationalism and Social Theory. London: Sage, 2002. 8 ibid., p.112. 9 Paul Bew, Land and the National Question in Ireland 1858-82. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1979. 10 Diarmaid Ferriter, The Transformation of Ireland 1900-2000. London: Profile Books, 2004. 104

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11 ibid., p.296. 12 Fintan O’Toole, ‘Snuggling up to the British lion’, Irish Times, September 21st 1999. 13 K Theodore Hoppen, Ireland Since 1800: Conflict and Conformity. Harlow: Longman, 1989, p.176. 14 Foster, op. cit., p.2. 15 Charles Townshend, Easter 1916: The Irish Rebellion. London: Allen Lane, 2005, p.30. 16 ibid., p.40. 17 Michael Ignatieff, The Warrior’s Honor: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience. London: Vintage, 1999. 18 op. cit., p.42 19 Markus Kornprobst, ‘Episteme, nation-builders and national identity: the re- construction of Irishness’, Nations and Nationalism, 2005, 11, 3: p.410. 20 ibid., p.411. 21 Jonathan Bardon, A History of Ulster. Belfast: The Blackstaff Press, 1992, p.390. 22 O’Mahony and Delanty, op. cit., p.48. 23 Maurice Goldring , Pleasant the Scholar’s Life: Irish Intellectuals and the Construction of the Nation State. London: Serif, 1993, p.178. 24 Terence Brown, Ireland: A Social and Cultural History. London: Fontana, 1981. 25 Ciarán O’Kelly, ‘Being Irish’, Government and Opposition, 2004, 39, 3: p.504. 26 ibid., p.508. 27 ibid., p.515. 28 Pietro Costa, ‘From national to European citizenship: a historical comparison’, in Richard Bellamy, Dario Castiglione and Emilio Santoro (eds), Lineages of European Citizenship: Rights, Belonging and Participation in Eleven Nation-States. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2004, p.212-3. 29 Kornprobst, op. cit. 30 Tom Garvin, A‘ quiet revolution: the remaking of Irish political culture’, in Ray Ryan (ed), Writing in the Irish Republic: Literature, Culture, Politics 1949-1999. London: Macmillan, 2000, p.189. 31 Jürgen Habermas, ‘Why Europe needs a constitution’, New Left Review 2001, 11: pp.5-26. 32 Joseph Robinson Wilson, Ethnonationalist Conflicts, Consociationalist Prescriptions and the Travails of Politics in Northern Ireland, PhD thesis, Queen’s University Belfast, 2008. 33 Daphne Halikiopoulou, A‘ shift from ethnic to civic nationalism: the changing dynamics of religion and national identity in the Republic of Ireland’, paper given at the ‘Beyond the Nation’ conference, Queen’s University Belfast, September 2007. 34 Dominique Moïsi, A‘ global downturn in the power of the west’, Financial Times, October 6th 2008. 105

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35 Wolfgang Munchau, ‘Europe’s plan B for the Lisbon treaty’, Financial Times, June 16th 2008. 36 Irish Times, October 23rd and 24th 2008. 37 Catherine Frost, ‘Is post-nationalism or liberal-culturalism behind the transformation of Irish nationalism?’, Irish Political Studies, 2006, 21, 3: pp.277-95. 38 ibid., p.279. 39 The commission, chaired by David Begg of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, was a joint initiative of the think tanks TASC in Dublin and Democratic Dialogue in Belfast. It reported as Clodagh Harris (ed), Engaging Citizens: The Report of the Democracy Commission. Dublin: TASC at New Island, 2005. 40 Richard Sinnott, ‘Deeper look at poll illuminates complex reasons for result’, Irish Times, June 14th 2008. 41 David Miller, On Nationality. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995, p.124. 42 Iseult Holohan, ‘Dealing with difference: the republican public-private distinction’, in Maria Baghramian and Attracta Ingram (eds), Pluralism: The Philosophy and Politics of Diversity. London: Routledge, 2000, p.166. 43 Tom Garvin, 1922: The Birth of Irish Democracy. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1996, p.14. 44 Irish Times, August 21st 2007. 45 Council of Europe, Living Together as Equals in Dignity. Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2008 (www.coe.int/t/dg4/intercultural/Source/White%20Paper_final_revised_EN.pdf). 46 Football Association of Ireland, Many Voices One Goal: Football Intercultural Plan. Dublin: FAI, 2007 (www.fai.ie/pdf/intercultural/FAI_INTERCULTURAL_PLAN.pdf ), p.11. 47 ibid., p.15. 48 Delanty and O’Mahony, op. cit., p.186. 49 David Held, Anthony McGrew, David Goldblatt and Jonathan Perraton, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1999, p.449. 50 Craig Calhoun, ‘The class consciousness of frequent travellers: towards a critique of actually existing cosmopolitanism’, South Atlantic Quarterly, 2002, 101, 4: pp.869-97. 51 Chan Kwok-Bun, ‘Both sides now: culture contact, hybridization, and cosmopolitanism’, in Steven Vertovec and Robin Cohen (eds), Conceiving Cosmopolitanism: Theory, Context, and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002, p.191. 52 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, A Shared Future: Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland. Belfast: OFMDFM, 2005, p.8. 53 The author was involved in the drafting of this document. 106

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54 David Held, ‘From executive to cosmopolitan multilateralism’, in David Held and Mathias Koenig-Archibugi (eds), Taming Globalization: Frontiers of Governance. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2003, pp.168-9. 55 Ferriter, op. cit. 56 Norberto Bobbio, The Age of Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1996, p.90. 57 TASC, ‘The solidarity factor: public perceptions of unequal Ireland’. Dublin: TASC, 2008 (www.tascnet.ie/upload/PDF%20Survey%20Unequal%20Ireland_29_09_08_FINA L1.pdf). 58 Ulrich Beck, Power in the Global Age. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2005, p.92 (emphasis in original). 59 Ulrich Beck and Edgar Grande, Cosmopolitan Europe. Cambridge: Polity Press, p.65. 60 Paul M Sniderman and Louk Hagendoorn (2007), When Ways of Life Collide: Multiculturalism and its Discontents in the Netherlands. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007. 61 Neil Jarman, ‘Security and segregation: interface barriers in Belfast’, Shared Space 6: pp.21-33, 2008 62 Irish Times, November 28th 2008. 63 A draft seen by the author stepped back from A Shared Future, returning to an older British approach of essentially throwing money at the problem rather than espousing a coherent policy, allied to displacing responsibility towards local government. 64 Donald Harman Akenson, Small Differences: Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants 1815-1922. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1998. 65 David Russell, Constitutional Design in Multi-communal Societies: A Comparative Study of Lebanon and Northern Ireland, Phd thesis, University of York, 2004 66 Stefan Wolff, Ethnic Conflict: A Global Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006, p.55. 67 Ulrich Beck, World at Risk. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2009, p.189. 68 Irish Times, January 31st 2008 and March 13th 2008. 69 Irish Times, May 24th 2007. 70 Catherine O’Donnell, Fianna Fáil, Irish Republicanism and the Northern Ireland Troubles 1968-2005. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 2007. 71 Beck, 2009, p.61. 72 Ulrich Beck, The Cosmopolitan Vision. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2006, p.19. 73 Beck and Grande, op. cit., p.144. 74 ibid. 75 Rick Wilford, Robin Wilson and Kathleen Claussen, Power to the People? Assessing Democracy in Northern Ireland. Dublin: TASC at New Island, 2007 76 Wilson, op. cit. 107

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Staff of the Centre for Cross Border Studies with the old Armagh Infirmary building which houses the Centre’s offices in the background. From left to right: Mairead Hughes, Eimear Donnelly, Patricia Clarke, Andy Pollak, Annmarie O’Kane, Joe Shiels, Patricia McAllister and.John Driscoll (director, International Centre for Local and Regional Development) THE CENTRE FOR CROSS BORDER STUDIES

March 2009

The Centre for Cross Border Studies, founded in September 1999 and based in Armagh and Dublin, researches and develops cooperation across the Irish border in education, training, health, ICT, the economy, public administration, agriculture, planning, the environment and a range of other practical areas.

The Centre is an independent company limited by guarantee (UK charity no. XR 31047) and is owned jointly by Queen’s University Belfast, Dublin City University and the Workers’ Educational Association (Northern Ireland). Its principal financial contributors in the past year have been the EU Peace Two programme and the Irish Department of Education and Science. The Centre has also raised a large proportion of its income through sponsorship and selling its research and consultancy services to government and other agencies.

Controversy about relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the constitutional field now obscures less than ever before the broad consensus that exists in both jurisdictions about the value of cross-border cooperation on practical issues. This holds that a low level of contact and communication across the Irish border damages the well-being of both parts of the island, and there is a clear need to identify and overcome the present barriers to cooperation and mutual understanding. 108

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PURPOSE support for cross-border programmes and organisations which have a The pragmatic view, that cooperation strong education, research and should take place where it brings real development dimension; benefits to both parts of the island, is • Provide training programmes for weakened by an additional factor: there public officials and others in North- has been too little research to date on South cooperation in Ireland; how this practical cooperation is to be • Provide sources of comprehensive and achieved, and how the outcomes of such accurate information about North- research should be developed. The South and cross-border cooperation Centre for Cross Border Studies – itself in Ireland. a unique expression of cross-border cooperation – provides an objective, university-based setting for policy WEBSITES research into and development of such cooperation. CCBS HOUSE WEBSITE

The Centre is a policy research and www.crossborder.ie development institute, whose purpose is to:

• Identify gaps in cross-border information, research and mutual learning in Ireland; • Commission and publish research on issues related to opportunities for and obstacles to cross border cooperation in all fields of society and the economy; • Host events at which research findings can be discussed and Usage of the Centre’s home website has disseminated, and at which policy increased steadily since 2003, the first formation in the area of cross border year for which statistics are available. cooperation can be developed; Since 2004 the number of unique visitors • Present the findings of such research and the number of visits have increased and development projects to the by 300% and 290% respectively. The European Commission, the two number of page views has risen by over governments, the Northern Ireland 330% and the average number of hits by Executive, employer, trade union and has gone up by nearly 260% in the six social partnership bodies, and the year period up to the end of 2008. wider public; Visitors came predominantly from the • Manage and provide administrative 109

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Year Unique Visits Page Hits (Monthly average) Visitors views

2003 1619 2161 4802 14373 2004 1453 2084 9178 18981 2005 2566 3603 8127 24747 2006 3481 4915 10149 30534 2007 3969 5432 12041 32207 2008 4340 6060 15930 37045

United States, followed by the Republic Formally launching it in March 2006, the of Ireland, the UK, and the rest of then Irish Minister for Finance, Mr Brian the EU. Cowen TD, said: “This website will be the keystone for information provision that will enable us all to meet future BORDER IRELAND challenges, be they economic, social or educational. I would encourage everyone www.borderireland.info who wishes to benefit from a cross- border approach to their activities to make use of this invaluable website.”

By February 2009 Border Ireland had documented (online) the details of 3,776 North-South and cross-border activities, 1,782 organisations, 2,048 publications, and 2,334 individual contacts (people).

With funding from the EU Peace II programme, the Centre developed Border Ireland to centralise the very large Border Ireland is the first ever online amount of uncoordinated and searchable database to provide fragmented information about North- access to the full range of South cooperation and the Irish border information on North-South and region. This has involved the creation of cross-border issues in Ireland, an information capture strategy and covering education, health, strong working relationships with a agriculture, transport, the network of over 200 information environment, tourism, culture, providers from all government mobility issues, business and departments, North and South; the community development. managing authorities for all EU programmes; relevant charitable 110

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foundations on the island; research This new interactive discussion forum coordinators in all higher education was developed to disseminate Border institutions, and key community and Ireland Briefings, provide responses to ‘‘A voluntary, and business leaders. Note from the Next Door Neighbours’ (see below) and provide updates on Border Ireland is available online at progress in collecting data for and www.borderireland.info where people maintaining this very large database. The can search through the information by last of the Border Ireland Briefings was year, sector and location, and view an completed before the end of the Peace II- organisation’s history of involvement in funded second phase in August 2008. cross-border cooperation. Briefings now on the site are: a guide to cross-border cooperation in the health The independent evaluation of Border services; cooperation between public Ireland Phase 1 (May 2003-June 2006: libraries; a guide to the geographical David Clarke Consulting) highlighted its location of cross-border cooperation work as the “product of the highest activities; an overview of North-South standards in information sourcing and IT and cross-border cooperation in the management expertise on the island”. It Common Chapter of the two called the website “one of the most jurisdictions’ development plans; ‘Who’s important projects supported under the Who’ in North-South and cross-border Peace II Programme in terms of its cooperation; and overviews of North- potential long-term impact beyond the South and cross-border cooperation in period of the Programme’s support, as an agriculture, economic development, increasingly significant and valuable tourism and transport. online resource tool for the collation and sharing of information and good practice In 2008 Border Ireland received a facelift, relating to cross-border development and modifying its presentation to place the cooperation”. Media Centre, featuring regularly updated media reports on North-South A second 2006-2008 phase of the and cross-border issues, at the centre of project was implemented through the information provided. The Media support provided under the Peace II Centre is now the most popular page on Extension Programme. The key objective the site, and as of February 2008 for this second phase was to develop contains 1,449 news articles. Border Ireland as the recognised portal for information on and communication The Centre has also used the Border about cross-border cooperation on the Ireland database in partnership with the island of Ireland. During 2008 Border International Centre for Local and Ireland recorded over 40,000 unique Regional Development (ICLRD) and the visitors with 1,515 subscribers to a new National Institute for Regional and Spatial discussion forum called Border Analysis (NIRSA) at NUI Maynooth to Ireland/Discuss. develop Mapping Programmes, an online 111

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The public launch of www.borderpeople.info in Derry/Londonderry by Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness MP MLA in May 2008. From left to right: Mr Tom Hanney, Southern Joint Secretary, North/South Ministerial Council; Alderman Drew Thompson, Mayor of Derry; Mr Pat Colgan, Chief Executive, Special EU Programmes Body; Dr Patricia Clarke, CCBS Research Manager; Mr McGuinness; Councillor Alex Baird, Mayor of Fermanagh; Ms Mary Bunting, Northern Joint Secretary, NSMC. spatial mapping initiative to show the The prototype website was officially location of cross-border infrastructure launched (initially as funded through the EU’s INTERREG and www.crossbordermobility.info) in October other programmes. 2007 at a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in Ballymascanlon, Co. BORDER PEOPLE Louth by the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Dr Ian Paisley MP MLA, the www.borderpeople.info Deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness MP MLA and the Irish In early 2007 the Centre for Cross Border Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Studies was commissioned by the Ahern TD. Work continued on the site, North/South Ministerial Council to and it was launched to the public as develop a new online information portal www.borderpeople.info in Dublin in April to provide useful citizens information for 2008 (by television presenter Clare Byrne) people crossing the border to live, work, and in Derry/Londonderry in May 2008 study or retire. This new cross border (by Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister mobility website was created with Martin McGuinness). It received technical assistance from DID, the web widespread publicity throughout and design team of the Northern Ireland Northern Ireland and the Southern border Department of Finance and Personnel, region, including a full page in the and funded by the EU Peace Two Belfast Telegraph. An all-Ireland and programme. international marketing company, Weber 112

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Shandwick, was retained to publicise the Ireland and the Citizens Information initiative, and in May and June billboards Board in the Republic of Ireland. advertising the new website featured in The Border People website many border towns while leaflets were (www.borderpeople.info) is a clear distributed through council offices, example of cross-border cooperation at citizen advice centres, libraries and its most pragmatic and sensible: a means shopping centres. of making government departments, information and advice providers and the The new public information website general public in both jurisdictions more – the first of its kind on the island of knowledgeable about and thus effective Ireland – is structured around the four in dealing with practical obstacles to themes of Commute, Work, Live, Study. cross-border mobility. Common It includes in-depth information on a difficulties faced by people moving across range of areas in both Irish jurisdictions, the border to live, work, study or retire including taxation, social security, job include knowing where to start when seeking, qualifications, health, education, inquiring about specific cross-border housing, banking and issues; the absence of advisors in public telecommunications. The website content offices who know the two jurisdictions is continuously being updated in well; the need for information leaflets in consultation with Borderwise, the cross- ‘plain English’ for cross-border workers; border advice and information service the unfamiliar requirements of having to provided by Citizens Advice Northern complete self-assessment tax forms in the other jurisdiction; a lack of knowledge Patricia Clarke and Clare Byrne, television presenter, at the Dublin launch about how educational qualifications translate across the border; the absence of portable pensions, and the difficulties of accessing information about social welfare and health care entitlements.

There appears to be an untapped market for information and advice on cross- border mobility issues. The impact of a professional marketing campaign is shown in the increase in the number of online visitors to the site during a three month marketing campaign last year: from 6,000 visitors in April 2008 to well over 10,000 visitors in June 2008.

A second phase of the website will be developed by the Centre in 2009-2011 in partnership with the North/South 113

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The 29 ‘Notes’ so far have covered the following issues: whether North-South cooperation actually works to bring about reconciliation between people in the two jurisdictions; the inaccurate reporting of North-South cooperation in the media; the possible re-opening of the Ulster Canal; the importance of EU Ministerial Council and funded by the funding to cross-border cooperation in EU’s INTERREG IVA programme (see also Ireland; the need for Northern Ireland to page 135). The site will be further attract back its highly educated and developed as the central access point for skilled emigrants; how Ireland, North and all cross-border mobility from information South, could play a distinctive role in in Ireland, signposting individuals to combating world hunger; hopes after the original sources of information, in March 2007 Northern Ireland election; consultation with Citizens Advice NI and the cross-border role of teacher Citizens Information Board (RoI). New education; Rev Ian Paisley as a champion features will allow a much higher level of of North-South cooperation; the public feedback, and for the systematic contribution of Norwegian human rights analysis of that feedback. A user group lawyer, Torkel Opsahl, to the peace of cross-border mobility information process; the need for civil society groups providers and users – including citizens in both Irish jurisdictions to talk to one advice bureaux, government agencies, another; a possible high-speed rail bridge health organisations, cross-border between Northern Ireland and Scotland; networks, community groups, business the row over families in Donegal sending groups and individual firms – will be their children to Derry schools; why developed and expanded. The initial higher education students don’t cross the three-month marketing campaign will be border to study any more; more about extended into the 2009-2011 period. barriers to cross-border higher education; the resurrection of Clones; whether the Irish border region could become the A NOTE FROM THE NEXT DOOR best border region in Europe; how the NEIGHBOURS Centre for Cross Border Studies is becoming involved in work in Africa; an Since September 2006 the Centre has upbeat message from the chairman of been sending an opinionated monthly the Centre; reconciliation initiatives in e-column, A Note from the Next Door Monaghan and Armagh; anti-racism and Neighbours, to a growing audience of anti-sectarianism work in primary schools subscribers: over 6,000 at the last count. in County Antrim and the Southern These Notes have provoked enthusiastic border region; cross-border cooperators feedback and debate. say ‘Yes’ to the Lisbon Treaty; cross- community gaelic games; the value of 114

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having both a united Ireland and a developed and managed by the Centre United Kingdom at the same time; for Cross Border Studies and funded by statistics which show the commonalities the EU Peace II (extension) Programme. It between North and South; North-South brought together over 300 children aged cooperation during the recession; why 9-14 from 12 schools – six Protestant the concept of an ‘island of Ireland’ and Catholic schools (upper primary and economy is still a valid one; the lower secondary) in County Antrim and ‘patriotism’ of cross-border shopping; County Derry/Londonderry and six and the work of a Monaghan priest in Catholic and Protestant schools (upper cross-border reconciliation. primary and lower secondary) in Louth and Monaghan – to learn about the These columns have been reported in the cultures associated with Protestantism Irish Times, Irish News, Derry Journal, and Catholicism and with the new Northern Standard (Monaghan), immigrant communities who are Scotsman, Glasgow Herald, Sunday Post becoming numerous in both regions. (Scotland) and on RTE, BBC Scotland, The Irish children also learned that they Border Television and local radio stations have something important in common in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and with each other and with the new ethnic northern England. They also appear on community children: they are all from the celebrated website of British-Irish and societies which have seen large-scale Northern Irish issues Slugger O’Toole emigration. This project produced a set (http://sluggerotoole.com) of high-class teaching materials for the 9-14 age group in both jurisdictions The columns can also be accessed at entitled ‘People are People all over the www.crossborder.ie/home/index/ndn/ind World.’ The coordinator was Marie ex.php Hoeritzauer.

In his August 2008 report, the CURRENT AND RECENTLY independent evaluator called the IERS COMPLETED RESEARCH AND project “distinctive and significant in EXCHANGE PROJECTS terms of its breadth of thematic scope, and its efforts to address difficult and Immigration Emigration potentially sensitive issues with honesty Racism and Sectarianism and openness.” The North Eastern Schools Project Education and Library Board’s Advisory Officer, Michael Graham, said: The Immigration, Emigration, Racism and Sectarianism This project has been a tremendous (IERS) Schools Project was a learning experience for the schools two year project which ran involved. Migration is something that from September 2006 to we hear a lot of today, but in reality it June 2008. It was created, has long been a major part of our 115

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Children from schools in Antrim, Derry/Londonderry, Louth and Monaghan taking part in an Immigration Emigration Racism and Sectarianism Schools project ‘residential’ in Gartan Outdoor Education Centre, Co Donegal experience, culture and heritage in these assessed teaching practice in schools in islands. Equipping our young people the other Irish jurisdiction. The partners with such knowledge and with the Centre in this project are the understanding is of great benefit in seven colleges of primary education on helping them to appreciate such the island: Stranmillis University College historical development, to know the and St Mary’s University College in world they live in now, and to form Belfast; St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, positive relationships with others from Marino Institute of Education, Froebel differing backgrounds and cultures. I College of Education and Church of would wish to commend the hard work Ireland College of Education in Dublin; and creativity of the project organisers and Mary Immaculate College in and the schools themselves. Limerick. 123 student teachers have taken part in this exchange project since North-South Student Teacher it was initiated in 2003. Previous Exchange Project (Year Five)

In March 2009 the North-South Student Teacher Exchange project will enter its fifth year with the latest exchange of 20 students to do a key part of their

Directors of Teaching Practice Ms Gail Eason, Stranmillis University College and Ms Claire Connolly,St Mary’s University College with student teachers at the January 2009 North- South Student Teacher Exchange ‘orientation day’ in Froebel College of Education, Blackrock, Co Dublin. 116

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exchanges were funded by the EU Peace CURRENT TRAINING PROJECTS Programme; the 2009 exchange will be funded by the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS)( see also pages 124-126).

In October 2008 a study by Dr Maeve Martin of NUI Maynooth on the impact of the exchange on the personal attitudes and professional practice of the student teachers who had taken part in it between 2003 and 2007 was completed. Dr Martin concluded:

This project has been a great success in terms of the enduring positive dispositions it has helped to develop among the beneficiaries, the young Cooperation Ireland Chief Executive Mr Tony Kennedy presents Mary Whelan of the teachers. These have included: greater Department of Education and Science with her interest in peace and reconciliation course certificate issues; greater consciousness of the demands of multicultural classrooms; North-South and Cross-Border Public greater knowledge of the other Sector Training Programme jurisdiction’s education system and curriculum; the invaluable experience Between May and September 2008 the gained from learning from skilled Centre – together with its partners, Co- teachers in the other jurisdiction; and a operation Ireland and the Chartered greatly increased sense of personal Institute of Public Finance and worth and confidence gained through Accountancy (CIPFA), Northern Ireland’s participation in the exchange. leading provider of training to the public sector – organised a fifth training course She called the project “a courageous, for civil and public servants working on inclusive and groundbreaking exchange” North-South and cross-border issues in and “an experience that has been North-South bodies, government transformational” for the student departments, local authorities and other teachers involved. public agencies in the two Irish jurisdictions. The final course was over- subscribed: it enrolled 39 officials instead of the intended 30 (with seven still turned away), and over 50% of these were from central government departments (this was compared to only 117

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15% central government officials on the the Northern Ireland Community first two courses in 2005). The intake Relations Council, Dr Duncan Morrow; included senior officials such as the Chief director of the Community Foundation Executive of NI-CO, the Deputy Chief Fire for Northern Ireland, Avila Kilmurray; Officer for Northern Ireland, the Director Professor John Bradley, formerly of the of the Northern Ireland Centre for Economic and Social Research Institute; Trauma and Transformation, the Deputy and the chief executives of four North- Secretary to the Irish President and senior South bodies – Liam Nellis from inspectors in the Irish Department of InterTradeIreland, Pat Colgan from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Special EU Programmes Body, Martin Department of Education and Science. Higgins from the Food Safety Promotion Board and Derick Anderson from the There are currently over 700 officials Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights working directly in North-South and Commission. cross-border co-operation on the island of Ireland. There are few opportunities In October 2007 the partners published for such people to undertake induction or The Wind across the Border, a training courses to work in this new, handsomely produced compilation of the complex and sensitive area. six best written assignments carried out by teams of trainees (paired on a North- The courses, which take place over five- South basis) from the four courses up to six days during a four month period, that date. In his foreword to the book, feature four modules: Introduction to the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr North-South co-operation; North-South Dermot Ahern TD, said: public finance and governance issues; North-South economic and business co- What these young public servants are operation; and cross-border co-operation doing is truly pioneering. Here is the at local authority (NGO) and community pith and substance of what good level. government is meant to be about. These essays all outline fresh new ideas, clearly The programme has featured prestigious laid out, about how practical cross- guest lecturers including Sir George border and all-island cooperation can Quigley, chairman of Short Brothers make a real difference to improving the (Bombardier Aerospace Group); lives of the people of Ireland and North/South Ministerial Council joint Northern Ireland. secretaries, Mary Bunting and Tom Hanney; head of the Northern Ireland The Centre, CIPFA and Cooperation Review of Public Administration, Greg Ireland are planning a sixth course in McConnell; director of the Institute of late 2009. Public Health in Ireland, Dr Jane Wilde; Fermanagh businessman and former GAA president, Peter Quinn; chief executive of 118

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CURRENT ADMINISTRATION Capacity Building (IAPRCB) – have been PROJECTS further developed. The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD, presented five masters and The Centre has filled an important niche PhD scholarships to students – three by providing administrative support to from the North and two from the South North-South and cross-border initiatives, – at a ceremony in particularly in the field of education. in October 2008. The Irish-African Many cross-border projects are sustained Partnership for Research Capacity largely through EU funding and the Building held successful workshops at commitment of enthusiastic individuals, Dublin City University and Entebbe in and when the money and enthusiasm Uganda, and carried out an runs out their absence of a proper unprecedented ‘stakeholder consultation’ administrative structure often dooms with over 300 academics and researchers them to early closure. The Centre offers to identify opportunities for and this cross-border administrative structure, constraints to development research in and a detailed knowledge of support the 13 partner universities in Ireland, mechanisms in both Irish jurisdictions, North and South, Uganda, Tanzania, which can ensure such projects’ longer- Mozambique and Malawi. term sustainability. NORTH-SOUTH POSTGRADUATE UNIVERSITIES IRELAND SCHOLARSHIPS

In 2008 five scholarships were awarded under this scheme, which is a collaboration between Universities Ireland and the Joint Business Council of the Irish Business and Employers ‘Confederation (IBEC) and the Confederation of British The Centre acts as the secretariat for Industry (Northern Ireland). The Universities Ireland (UI), set up in 2003 to scholarships were co-funded by promote co-operation and collaboration Universities Ireland (with Dublin Institute between the nine universities in Northern of Technology) and five business firms in Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Its Belfast and Dublin: Belfast City Airport, chairman for the 2008-2010 period is Arthur Cox, Dublin Port, Healy Group and Professor Richard Barnett, Vice-Chancellor RPS Group. For the first time they were of the University of Ulster. also open to Irish students who had done their undergraduate courses in English, In the past year the two major initiatives Scottish and Welsh universities and to launched by Universities Ireland in 2005 students taking the first year of a PhD. and 2007 – the North-South Postgraduate Scholarship scheme and the Four scholarships went to masters Irish-African Partnership for Research students: Laura Duggan, a graduate of 119

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Winners of the 2008-2009 Universities Ireland-IBEC-CBI North-South postgraduate scholarships with the Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen TD, at the awards ceremony in Trinity College Dublin on 2 October 2008. From left to right: Seamus Carlin, Aileen O’Doherty, the Taoiseach, Laura Duggan, TCD Provost Professor John Hegarty, CBI Northern Ireland Chairman Brian Ambrose, Alan Coyne and Natasha McShane TCD doing an MSc in Leadership for Jo i nt Bus i ness Council. At the spr i ng Sustainable Development at Queen’s me eti ng of the Jo i nt Bus i ness Council in the University Belfast; Alan Coyne, a Be l fast Har bour Commi s s ioners Office in graduate of UCD, doing a Master’s in March 2008, both the Nor t hern Ire land Fir st Legal Science at QUB; Natasha McShane, M i n i ster, Dr Ian Pai s ley MP MLA, and the a graduate of University of Ulster, doing a Deputy Fir st Minister, Mr Mar ti n Master’s in Regional and Urban Planning Mc Gu i nness MP MLA, prai s ed the Nor t h - at UCD; and Aileen O’Doherty, a South Postgraduate Sc ho lar ship scheme as graduate of University of Ulster, doing an an out stand i ng example of both bus i ne s s - MSc in Marketing at the Michael Smurfit un i ver s ity and prac tical Nor t h - Sout h Graduate Business School at UCD. One c ooperation. scholarship went to a doctoral student: Seamus Carlin, a graduate of University The fundamental requirement for eligibility of Ulster, doing a PhD in the Performance for this scheme is a willingness by Management of Sustainable Communities students to relocate to the other Irish at University College Cork. jurisdiction for a whole year or the major part of a year in order to undertake a T hese awards were pre s ented to the course of postgraduate study. w i nners by the Tao i s eac h, Mr Br ian Cowen T D, at a ceremony in Tr i n ity Co l lege Dubl i n In 2009 there will be three scholarships, af ter the autumn me eti ng of the IBEC - CB I reflecting the sharp reduction in private 120

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President Mary McAleese with the leaders of participating African universities at the first IAPRCB workshop in April 2008: From left to right: Professor Orlando Quilambo, Vice-Rector, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; Professor Rwekaza Mukandala, Vice-Chancellor, University of Dar es Salaam; President McAleese; Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr, Secretary General, Association of African Universities; Professor Livingston Luboobi, Vice-Chancellor, Makerere University, Uganda. sector sponsorship caused by the together by a small group of people economic recession. Two of these (in working out of the Centre for Cross areas of interest to business) will be Border Studies, Trinity College Dublin and funded by Dublin Port and RPS Group, Dublin City University in 2007. It is and the third (in other areas, notably arts largely funded by the Irish Government and social sciences) will be funded under the Programme of Strategic entirely by Universities Ireland. The Cooperation between Irish Aid and scholarships this year will be worth Higher Education and Research Institutes e 15,000. (2007-2011) – which has provided e 1.5 million – with e 110,000 in matching THE IRISH-AFRICAN PARTNERSHIP funding from Universities Ireland. FOR RESEARCH CAPACITY BUILDING (IAPRCB) The IAPRCB brings together the nine universities on the island of Ireland along with Makerere University in Uganda, University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, Mozambique, and the University of Malawi in a unique, high-level partnership to develop a coordinated approach to Research Capacity Building The Irish-African Partnership for Research (RCB) in higher education institutions in Capacity Building (2008-2011) was put order to make an effective contribution 121

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Participants at the second IAPRCB workshop in Entebbe, Uganda, 10-13 November 2008 to the reduction of poverty in those postdoctoral fellow in education based at countries.The IAPRCB aims: Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick; Yaoxue Lin, a web portal • to build the capacity for development manager based at TCD; and Catriona research in Irish and Northern Irish Fitzgerald, a part-time administrative universities; officer based at DCU. • to build capacity in health, education, gender and ICT research in the four The partnership was launched by participating African universities; President Mary McAleese on the opening • in the longer term, to develop an day of the first IAPRCB workshop at Irish-African network of excellence in Dublin City University on 8-11 April development research. 2008. This workshop was attended by over 70 senior academics from Ireland The co-chairs of the IAPRCB’s steering and five African countries. The keynote committee are Professor Jane Grimson of speaker was Professor Akilalagpa Sawyerr Trinity College Dublin and Professor Eli from Ghana, Secretary General of the Katunguka-Rwakishaya of Makerere Association of African Universities, and University; the chair of its executive an international authority on research committee is Professor Ronnie Munck of capacity building in African higher Dublin City University, and its education institutions. Among those who administrative leader is the Centre for also addressed the workshop were the Cross Border Studies. The project director, President of Dublin City University, Dr Niamh Gaynor, is based at Dublin City Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski; the University. Other IAPRCB staff are Dr Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University, Eimear Barrrett, a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Livingston Luboobi; the Vice- health based at Queen’s University Chancellor of the University of Dar es Belfast; Dr Mary Goretti Nakabugo, a Salaam, Professor Rwekaza Mukandala; 122

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the Vice Chancellor of University of those opportunities and constraints Malawi, Professor Zimani Kadzamira, and through a ‘summer school’ training the Vice-Rector of Eduardo Mondlane programme University in Mozambique, Professor • To build an Irish-based development Orlando Quilambo. research network through agreed principles of partnership A second four-day • To provide an enabling platform to workshop was held in facilitate the development of specific Entebbe in Uganda on 10- partnerships between researchers and 13 November 2008, again institutions. with more than 70 senior academics participating. It The project’s activities and outputs are was addressed by, among as follows: others, the Vice- 1. A stakeholder consultation Chancellor of Makerere among the 13 participating University, Professor institutions (and external agencies Livingston Luboobi; the Director of such as relevant government Research of the University of Dar es ministries and donor organisations) Salaam, Professor Saida Yahya-Othman; using workshops, focus groups, the Dean of Medicine of Eduardo structured interviews and e- Mondlane University, Professor Mamudo consultation. The first phase of this Ismail; the Dean of Science at Chancellor exercise took place in summer- College, University of Malawi, Professor autumn 2008 and involved 312 John Saka; the Provost of Trinity College academics and researchers in the Dublin, Professor John Hegarty; and the institutions. This was the first ever former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign joint baseline study of development Affairs, Mr Dick Spring, chair of the research capacity in the Irish and IAPRCB’s international advisory board. participating African universities. Out Future workshops will be held in Maputo of this, the aim is to produce a (11-14 May 2009), Malawi (autumn register of development researchers 2009) and Belfast (spring 2010). in the partner institutions (see also Web Portal below) and a report The project’s objectives are: documenting the opportunities and • To assess existing capacity in constraints to development research development research in the Irish in the partner institutions. A universities and research in health, preliminary report was presented to education, gender and ICT in the the Entebbe workshop in November African universities. 2008. • To identify opportunities for and 2. Four workshops (in Dublin, constraints to such research in the Entebbe, Maputo and Belfast) to 13 partner universities develop the network and specific • To address a selected number of partnerships, and identify priority 123

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areas in health, education, gender body of British universities, was initiated and ICT research in the next 10 years in September 2004 in Dublin, with a through a ‘foresight’ exercise. follow-up meeting in London in January 3. Foresight report identifying the 2006, and a third meeting in Dublin in priority themes in health and March 2008. At this latter meeting the education research, with gender and presidents and vice-chancellors discussed ICT as cross-cutting themes, over the matters of mutual interest in the areas of next 10 years. business-university collaboration, 4. ‘Summer School’, to take place in university funding and research, and Malawi in autumn 2009 to provide European developments. training in selected areas of research capacity building identified through Innosport Ireland. A scoping study the stakeholder consultation, carried out by University of Ulster’s Sport workshops and the foresight exercise. and Exercise Research Institute on the all- 5. Network development through island economic potential of sports online discussion forums, bi-annual innovation and technologies (i.e. meetings of Steering Committee and performance devices and monitoring, monthly meetings of Executive sports accommodation, sports nutrition Committee, and presentations at and sporting goods, footwear and conferences and seminars by staff clothing) was completed in September and Steering Committee members. 2008. UI gave a grant of £4,000 in seed 6. Consultative working papers on funding to this project with the aim of key topics such as development preparing a cross-border inter-university research for poverty alleviation, application to the EU Framework Seven research capacity building, the role of programme in this area. foresight in research capacity building and partnership in development research (these four papers were Universities Ireland is funded by an presented to the Entebbe workshop annual levy paid by the nine universities, in November 2008). and by grants from the Department of 7. Web Portal Education and Science in Dublin, the (www.irishafricanpartnership.ie) Department for Employment and to provide an online and interactive Learning in Belfast and InterTradeIreland register of development researchers in Newry. and their research in the partner institutions and an online Website: www.universitiesireland.ie communications forum.

OTHER INITIATIVES

A series of meetings with Universities UK, the representative 124

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Speakers at the 2008 SCoTENS conference – ‘School Leadership, Policy and Practice, North and South’. From left to right: Dr Pauric Travers, Ms Deborah Nusche (OECD), Minister for Education Ms Caitriona Ruane MLA and Dr Tom Hesketh.

STANDING CONFERENCE ON North and South’ was held in October TEACHER EDUCATION, NORTH AND 2008 in Belfast. It was opened by the SOUTH (SCoTENS) Minister for Education, Ms Caitriona Ruane MLA. The keynote speakers were The Centre also acts as the secretariat for Deborah Nusche, of the OECD’s the Standing Conference on Teacher Directorate for Education in Paris (co- Education, North and South. This was set author of a 2009 OECD study, Improving up in 2003 by a group of senior teacher School Leadership); Dr Ciaran Sugrue, education specialists from universities, University of Cambridge; Dr Timothy colleges of education and other London, Queen’s University Belfast; Dr education agencies in both jurisdictions. Tom Hesketh, Regional Training Unit (NI); The 2007-2008 joint chairs of SCoTENS Mr Paddy Flood (Leadership Development were Dr Pauric Travers, President of St in Schools (RoI); and Dr David Armstrong, Patrick’s College Drumcondra, and Dr PricewaterhouseCoopers (author of a Tom Hesketh, Director of the Regional forthcoming study Attractiveness of Training Unit in Belfast. Dr Teresa Headship: Ireland North and South). O’Doherty of Mary Immaculate College Limerick takes over as Southern joint A research report – A Review of Science chair in 2008-2009. Outreach Strategies, North and South, by a team led by Dr Kevin Davison of NUI SCoTENS’ sixth annual conference, Galway – was launched at the ‘School Leadership: Policy and Practice, conference. 125

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Previous SCoTENS’ annual conferences teachers; universities’ role were on ‘Teaching in the Knowledge in continuing teacher Society’ in 2007; ‘Teacher Education and professional development; Schools: Together Towards Improvement’ work-placed learning in 2006; ‘Teacher Education for models in post- Citizenship in Diverse Societies’ in 2005; compulsory teacher ‘The Changing Contexts of Teacher education; measuring Education, North and South’ (with a the value of education particular emphasis on Teaching Councils) technologies; primary in 2004; and ‘Challenges to Teacher student teachers’ Education and Research, North and mathematical identities; South’ in 2003. consulting pupils on remediation of their specific literacy difficulties; student SCoTENS has also teachers and the needs of pupils with provided seed funding for autism spectrum disorder; English as an all-island conferences on additional language in undergraduate social, scientific and teacher education; inclusion and diversity environmental education in post-primary education; the (five), initial teacher experiences of primary teachers in education, citizenship teaching healthy eating guidelines; and and diversity education building North-South links in global (two), educational justice education. research, special educational needs (two), In February 2009 Mary Robinson social justice education in initial teacher launched a book, Education for education (two), language teacher Citizenship and Diversity in Irish education, doctoral research in education Contexts, by Dr Gerry Jeffers of NUI and the competences approach to Maynooth and Dr Una O’Connor of teacher professional development. It has University of Ulster, which contains also provided seed funding for North- essays based on presentations at two South research projects on the SCoTENS-supported North-South social/national identity of young children conferences on citizenship and diversity. in the border region; ICT in teacher education; children with profound and The SCoTENS website multiple learning difficulties; student (http://scotens.org) has been updated teacher exchanges; student perceptions over the past six months and highlights, of history, geography and science; in particular, resources on special school-based work in colleges of education, citizenship education and education; the professional development teaching and learning with digital video. of teachers working with students with Assistance with inputting content has special educational needs; examining been provided by Maurice Blease assessment procedures for trainee (Stranmillis University College) on special 126

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education and Fionnuala Waldron North-South-US partnership to explore (St Patrick’s College Drumcondra) on and expand the contribution that citizenship education. planning and the development of physical, social and economic In 2009 SCoTENS is also taking over infrastructures can make to improving from the EU Peace Programme in the lives of people in both Irish supporting a fifth year of the ground- jurisdictions. The partner institutions are: breaking North-South Student Teacher the National Institute for Regional and Exchange, which brings student teachers Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) at the National from the island’s seven colleges of University of Ireland, Maynooth; the primary education to do a key part of School of the Built Environment at the their assessed teacher practice in the University of Ulster; the Institute for other jurisdiction (also see pages International Urban Development in 115-116). Cambridge, Massachusetts; Athlone Institute of Technology, and the Centre SCoTENS is funded by annual grants from for Cross Border Studies. Each of these the Department of Education and partners brings together complementary Science, and the Department for expertise and networks – North and Employment and Learning and the South, East and West – to create a Department of Education (Northern unique, all-island centre that is more Ireland). A significant proportion of its than the sum of its parts. The ICLRD is funding comes from institutional very open to involving other academic subscriptions from universities, colleges and research institutions in its activities. of education, teaching councils, The director of the ICLRD is John Driscoll, education trade unions, education who is also a vice-president of the centres, curriculum councils and other Institute for International Urban bodies involved with teacher education. Development. In 2006-2008 it also received grant aid from the Nuffield Foundation. The ICLRD • Provides independent, expert, joined- INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR LOCAL up research, thinking and policy AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT advice on cross-border and all-island spatial planning and local and regional development issues at three spatial scales: EU and all-island, sub- regional and local; • Offers capacity building programmes for communities and local, regional and national government The Centre administers the International representatives and officials; Centre for Local and Regional • Acts as a catalyst and conduit to Development (ICLRD). The ICLRD is a bring relevant actors, North and 127

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South, together to work on Implementing sub-regional common goals; strategies • Promotes international cooperation and exchanges. The ICLRD report – The Newry-Dundalk Twin City In January 2009 the ICLRD Region: Supporting the held its fourth annual Implementation of Cross- conference in Letterkenny, Border Collaborative Co Donegal under the Frameworks – was title ‘‘Achieving Balanced completed in December Regional Development: 2008 in cooperation with Dynamic Regions, Spatial Newry and Mourne Strategies and District Council, Louth Collaboration.’ Over 130 County Council and people attended. The Dundalk Town Council (with a conference was opened Steering Committee chaired by jointly by Mr Michael InterTradeIreland). The study, which also Kitt TD, Irish Minister of State at the involved the two cities’ chambers of Department of the Environment, Heritage commerce, identified a number of and Local Government, and Mr Conor projects to support a linked sub-regional Murphy MP MLA, N.Ireland Minister for approach, including: Regional Development. Conference • Developing a twin city centre of presentations are available on the ICLRD excellence in sustainable energy, website at www.iclrd.org building on the work of Sustainable Energy Ireland and the Dundalk Keynote speakers from overseas included 2020/EU Concerto programme, and Steve Quartermain, Chief Planning Officer positioning the region as an island in the Department for Communities and exemplar in this field; Local Government in London; Jim • Exploring the concept of a Geo- MacKinnon, Director for the Built Tourism initiative linked to the Environment in the Scottish Government; outstanding geological features of Grant Duncan, Head of the Sustainable the Mournes, the Cooley Mountains, Futures Division in the Welsh Assembly Slieve Gullion and Carlingford Lough; Government; Dr Gabor Novotny, from the • Marketing the Newry-Dundalk region European Commission’s DG Regio (Urban as a centre for internationally Development and Territorial Cohesion); Dr tradeable service operations based at Rupert Kawka from the German Federal the midpoint of the Dublin-Belfast Office for Building and Regional economic corridor; Planning; and Professor Gerrit Knapp, • A joint town centre regeneration Director, National Center for Smart strategy for Newry and Dundalk to Growth Research and Education, promote both towns as places where University of Maryland. people want to visit, settle and work. 128

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• Programmes to identify common data Strabane; Kiltyclogher-Cashel/Scribbagh- sets that will support joined-up Garrison-Rossinver; Blacklion-Belcoo- planning and innovation across this Glenfarne; Clones-Rosslea- border region; coordinate Dundalk Newtownbutler-Lisnaskea; and Institute of Technology and Southern Castleblayney-Crossmaglen. Regional College courses to develop a diversified and qualified regional The project research team consisted of labour force; and build infrastructure Brendan Bartley, Caroline Creamer, Justin connectivity using the M1/A1 Gleeson and Dr Chris Van Egeraat, corridor. NIRSA, National University of Ireland Maynooth; Dr Neale Blair, School of the The project research team comprised Built Environment, University of Ulster; Dr Professor Alastair Adair, Professor Jim Brendan O’Keefe, Mary Immaculate Berry and Professor Stanley McGreal, College/ University of Limerick; and John School of the Built Environment, Driscoll, Institute for International Urban University of Ulster; Professor Francois Development, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Vigier, John Driscoll and Erick Guerra, Institute for International Urban Sustainable Communities Development, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Dr Chris van Egeraat, NIRSA, High-quality affordable housing and National University of Ireland Maynooth. sustainable communities, closely linked to good services and employment, are a Enhancing connectivity in Small requirement in any society. In societies Cross-Border Towns divided by religion, class and income, the challenge to provide them on an A key challenge for many border region integrated basis takes on an extra small towns and villages, characterised by dimension. Through the development of their peripheral location and the impact case studies in Antrim, Enniskillen, of that border, is how to build a future Derry/Londonderry, Sligo, Cork and based on cross-border cooperation. In Adamstown (Co Dublin), an ICLRD November 2008 the novelist Colm Toibin research team is exploring issues of launched the ICLRD-published book, religious, ethnic and income segregation Fostering Mutual Benefits in Cross- in housing estates in both jurisdictions. Border Areas: The Challenges and International experience and emerging Opportunities in Connecting Irish Border best practice will also be addressed by Towns and Villages. This book is the looking at examples from Europe and the culmination of an 18 month research United States. This study will be launched project, funded in part by the at the annual Conference of the Isles in International Fund for Ireland, which Newcastle, Co Down in May 2009. examined the relationships and connectivity between five cross-border Research team: Paddy Gray, Michaela settlement groupings. These were Lifford- Keenan, Ursula McAnulty and Professor 129

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Speakers and delegates – including the NI Minister for Regional Development, Mr Conor Murphy MP MLA, and the Minister of State at the Irish Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr Michael Kitt TD – at the January 2009 ICLRD conference

Stanley McGreal, School of the Built Duhallow have been engaged in the Environment, University of Ulster; process of rural restructuring for the past Brendan Bartley, NIRSA, National 25 years and have built up a wealth of University of Ireland Maynooth; and John experience. The challenges facing Driscoll and Erick Guerra, Institute for Emyvale-Truagh-Aughnacloy have been International Urban Development, further exacerbated by its cross-border Cambridge, Massachusetts. location, the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’, and the impact of decades of back-to- Rural Restructuring back policy development by both Northern and Southern administrations. ICLRD is currently undertaking a research The research team will be developing a project that considers the role of rural series of working papers on each area restructuring and economic and a synthesis report which will be diversification, together with the growing presented at a conference on ‘Rural importance of the urban-rural interface, Restructuring: a rural challenge requiring in the achievement of balanced spatial local sustainable solutions’ (provisional development. The programme of research title) in summer 2009. is focussing on three rural areas: the Draperstown-Magherafelt district in Co Research Team: Caroline Creamer, NIRSA, Derry/Londonderry; Emyvale-Truagh- National University of Ireland Maynooth; Aughnacloy on the Monaghan-Tyrone Dr Neale Blair, University of Ulster; Dr border; and Duhallow on the Cork-Kerry- Brendan O’Keeffe, Mary Immaculate Limerick border. Both Draperstown and College/ University of Limerick, Karen 130

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Keaveney, Queens University Belfast, and A related ICLRD research project is John Driscoll, Institute for International ‘Delineation of Functional Territories of Urban Development, Cambridge, Mass. Urban Systems on the Island of Ireland’. The need for this work, especially on an Evidence-informed Spatial Planning inter-jurisdictional basis, was identified by policy makers on both sides of the border Policy makers and practitioners involved after the National Institute for Regional in cross-border spatial planning initiatives and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) generated are seeking high quality data to better pioneering maps illustrating travel-to- understand economic trends and work patterns on an all-island basis. The demands for cross-border services. In research team will consult with policy 2007 the ICLRD and the All-Island makers and practitioners through a series Research Observatory (AIRO) published of seminars to present emerging findings The Atlas of the Island of Ireland - and discuss their implications. Mapping Social and Economic Change. This pioneering atlas presents a set of The research teams for these two detailed, full colour maps on population, projects include Professor Rob Kitchin, housing, transport and the economy Brendan Bartley, Proinnsias Breathnach, across the island based on census data Dr Chris van Egeraat, Helen Caughey and for the Republic of Ireland in 1991 and Justin Gleeson of NIRSA, National 2002 and for Northern Ireland in 1991 University of Ireland Maynooth; Dr Des and 2001. McCafferty of Mary Immaculate College/University of Limerick; Professor In 2008 ICLRD and AIRO began working Francois Vigier of the Institute for on a new initiative part-funded by the International Urban Development, and Strategic Investment Board in Northern Chris Lloyd of Queen’s University Belfast. Ireland to develop a baseline inventory of service infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Cross-border Planning and Training This pilot project to illustrate the Network (CroSPlaN) accessibility of services and infrastructure will develop a series of accessibility maps In early 2009, in cooperation with the using Geographical Information Systems. Centre for Cross Border Studies, the The research team is also collecting data ICLRD started work on a new three-year to extend the analysis on a cross-border programme of research, training and basis where compatible data exists, and workshops in Northern Ireland and the will produce a series of maps Southern border region (see also pages representing both the spatial distribution 133-134). This initiative has been funded of, and accessibility to, services. The by the EU’s INTERREG IVA Programme, mapped output will be accompanied by administered through the Special EU commentary from an expert analyst in Programmes Body. The main elements of each field which can be made available this work on an annual basis are: to policy makers and practitioners. 131

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• Two action research projects. In 2009 issue of this e-journal will be theme- these will be on the impact of local specific. The first, due to be published in government reform in the North and spring 2009, will address the theme of new planning legislation in the South ‘Evidence-Informed Spatial Planning’. The on cross-border planning; and on the Journal of Collaborative Spatial Planning comparable experience in cross- in Ireland will be jointly edited by Andy border planning of local and regional Pollak, Director, Centre for Cross Border authorities elsewhere in Europe. Studies and John Driscoll, Director, ICLRD. • Two executive training programmes for 30 local councillors, officials and NORTH/SOUTH ROUNDTABLE GROUP other key community leaders. • An annual conference and an annual Director Andy Pollak represents the technical workshop, with the dual Centre for Cross Border Studies and function of facilitating networking Universities Ireland on this influential and addressing areas of need, some ‘think tank’, which draws its members of them identified and analysed in from business leaders and senior civil the action research projects. servants in both Irish jurisdictions. The joint chairs are Stephen Kingon, Chair of The CroSPlaN Network will also be Invest Northern Ireland, and Laurence valuable in providing a link between Crowley, former Governor of the Bank of policy makers and practitioners on an Ireland. The Joint Facilitators, Michael intra- and inter-jurisdictional basis. The D’Arcy and Liz Gilmartin, are supported network will raise awareness of, and by InterTradeIreland. where appropriate, translate some of the practices of other successful European EDUCATION FOR RECONCILIATION cross-border networking organisations – e.g. Mission Opérationelle The Centre is a partner with the City of Transfrontalière in France – to Ireland. Dublin Vocational Education Committee's Curriculum Development Unit in the ICLRD Journal and e-journals on 2009-2011 phase of the Education for spatial planning issues Reconciliation project, sub-titled 'Securing the Future through Active As part of its evolving publication Citizenship.' This project develops peace strategy, ICLRD will launch an annual and reconciliation materials and trains journal on the theme of collaborative teachers in the use of them as part of spatial planning, following the model of the citizenship education curricula in the CCBS-published Journal of Cross both Irish jurisdictions (Civic Social and Border Studies in Ireland. To assist ICLRD Political Education in the South and Local in gathering the articles for the printed and Global Citizenship in the North). To journal, and to provide on-line access to date over 60 secondary schools, North research findings of interest, two e- and South, have taken advantage of the journals will be published every year. Each professional development, cross-border 132

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networking, and teaching and learning praised project for educationally resources developed by the project. disadvantaged people to the whole Another 20 schools will join the project of Ireland. this year. CURRENT AND FUTURE RESEARCH CROSS BORDER OPENINGS PROJECTS

The Centre is also a partner with the Between February 2009 and Open University in Ireland and the Irish December 2011 the Centre will Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) in Cross undertake five major new research Border Openings (CBO), a project which projects funded by the EU cross- offers 500 free places on a return to border programme INTERREG IVA. study programme for socially and These have been packaged under educationally disadvantaged people on the collective title: the Ireland- both sides of the border. The project also Northern Ireland Cross-Border involves the provision of training on Cooperation Observatory (INICCO). cultural diversity issues, and joint work The five constituent projects are as with the trade union movement to follows: promote the concept of workplace learning in general and workplace 1. NORMAL BUSINESS RESTORED: learning agreements in particular. Reviving the border economy in a new era of peace and devolved The CBO project has played a leading role government in developing a strategic partnership between the Open University in Ireland The aim of this package of four closely and the ICTU, which mirrors the UK-wide inter-related research projects is to find agreement between the Open University ways of understanding and increasing the and the Trades Union Congress accessibility, size, transparency, unionlearn programme – this offers new competitiveness and profitability of Irish learning opportunities and progression border region markets in a context where routes for trade union members. In May peace and normality have finally arrived 2008 it held a conference in Dublin to in Northern Ireland and the Southern promote workplace learning and learn Border Region. The new element of an from UK and European experience in international economic recession has this area. been added since the application was first written in 2007. This overall project CBOs was scaled down at the end of – in which the Centre will be partnered 2008 following the end of its EU Peace by InterTradeIreland – will begin in funding. However the Open University is autumn 2009. actively seeking to raise funds in both Britain and Ireland to implement The four constituent research projects ambitious plans to extend this much- will be: 133

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a. The specific challenges the region faces due to its peripheral location, with an exploration of how it might become less peripheral through new business communication technologies, optimal use of supporting institutions (including higher education institutions) and the experience of more advanced border regions elsewhere in Europe. b. How border region retail and wholesale markets as a whole might be made more efficient drivers of regional growth (and more robust in the face of currency changes) after the present temporary imbalance caused by currency distortions. Senior staff members Mairead Hughes and c. How the micro-enterprises (with Patricia McAllister with an exhibition of CCBS under 10 employees) which are the conference and research project posters mainstay of so much economic activity in the region might be Irish border is something that has already enabled to expand by exploiting been recognised by both administrations increased access to larger cross- (e.g. in the North-West Gateway border markets on their doorstep initiative). On a small island like Ireland (and to learn from the experience of the complexity of spatial planning – and successful ‘niche’ producers in other its relationship with economic parts of Ireland and Europe). development, social policy and d. How the region’s tourism product infrastructure (e.g. transport) – is (including ‘green’ tourism) might increased by the border’s existence. In the dovetail with strategic plans for next few years local authorities in tourism in Ireland as a whole and Northern Ireland and the Southern border how border towns might learn from region will have to take on extra ‘good performers’ elsewhere on the responsibilities for planning under the island to bring more visitors to the Reform of Public Administration in the region. North and new regional planning guidelines in the South. 2. THE CROSS-BORDER SPATIAL PLANNING AND TRAINING The Centre and its sister organisation, the NETWORK (CroSPlaN) International Centre for Local and Regional Development, will bring The benefits of harmonising cross-border together a network (CroSPLaN) of planning in specific regions along the planners, housing providers, economic 134

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development officers, local officials, in Ireland – will consist of two linked councillors, and community and business research studies on modelling hospital interests on both sides of the border to service planning on a border region promote more systematic learning and basis, and on the democratisation of exchange in planning (see also pages health care. 130-131). The ICLRD will lead a three year programme consisting of the The former study, which will build on a following: piece of initial desk research completed in late 2007, will examine the number, • Two action research projects per year size, composition and possible locations • Two executive training programmes of the hospitals that would be required per year for local councillors, officials in the future if the planning of acute and other key community leaders services in the border region was on the • One technical workshop per year basis of population needs rather than • One annual conference jurisdictional frontiers. It will work towards developing a prototype model of The 2009 action research projects will cross-border health service accessibility explore the impact of local government driven by geographical considerations reform in the North and new planning around the distribution of patients legislation in the South on cross-border (potential need and demand); the planning; and the comparable experience configuration of hospitals North and in cross-border planning of local and South (potential supply based on bed regional authorities elsewhere in Europe. numbers and specialisms); and the Other research areas to be covered in transport network (modelling of future years could include sustainable accessibility based on travel time). This rural transport; mapping spatial study will begin in autumn 2009. indicators; understanding travel-to-work patterns; border region land and property While population modelling is important markets; joint management of the for health service planning, it is less than environment, including waste useful if the needs and rights of the management; the regeneration of people who use those services are marginalised areas; comparative ignored. The second study will examine emergency planning; and learning from the role of community involvement in new cross-border planning initiatives in decision making in the planning of other parts of Europe. This overall project hospital services in the border regions of began in early 2009. both jurisdictions. It will also explore the implementation of ‘patient 3. EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL FOR empowerment’ initiatives in other parts CROSS-BORDER HOSPITAL of Europe, notably in the Dutch-German SERVICES IN THE BORDER REGION border regions. This study began in early 2009. This project – in which Centre will be partnered by the Institute of Public Health 135

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4. PILOT IMPACT ASSESSMENT 113). A new information TOOLKIT FOR CROSS-BORDER officer largely dedicated COOPERATION IN IRELAND to this project started work in the Centre in As part of the integrative work of a early February 2009. cross-border observatory, the Centre will research the development of a pilot Since Border Ireland Impact Assessment Toolkit for practical, was only launched to mutually beneficial cross-border the public in spring cooperation in Ireland. Impact assessment 2008, it was only is a continuous process to help the policy starting to become maker fully think through and understand properly known in the consequences of possible and actual Northern Ireland and interventions.It has been used particularly the Southern border region by the in the health and environmental sectors summer of 2008, when its EU Peace in Ireland, North and South, but not until funding expired. The number of visitors now in cross-border cooperation. accessing the website rose sharply during a three month marketing campaign in The Centre will develop this ‘toolkit’ to April-June 2008 – run by a professional guide policy-makers through the process marketing company – from 6,000 per of planning and implementing a major month to well over 10,000 per month. cross-border project. This would consist of a number of stages: the early stages of Phase Two will allow for a more identifying and defining the policy systematic dissemination and marketing challenge; the identification of options; of information and public feedback on the consultation stage; the final proposal, cross-border mobility issues, assisted by focussing on costs and benefits; the an active and enlarged user group drawn implementation stage; and the review from a wide range of citizens advice, stage, when actual costs and benefits employment advice, local authority, indicate whether the project is achieving business and community organisations. its desired aims. This project will start in Performance will be reviewed against summer 2010. agreed targets for information content, along with regular statistical website 5. BORDER PEOPLE CROSS-BORDER reports to evaluate demand and usage. MOBILITY INFORMATION An annual survey will test whether the WEBSITE (Phase Two) interests of users are being matched and how well the various website features are This will be the second phase of the working. Border People (www.borderpeople.info) information The Border People website is a uniquely website, to be developed in a continuing practical expression of cross-border partnership with the North/South movement, interaction and cooperation Ministerial Council (See also pages 111 - on the island of Ireland, and one that will 136

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bring concrete benefits to the citizens of The Evolution of both jurisdictions. Development of Phase Telecom Technologies: Two of the site began in early 2009. Current Trends and Near-Future Implications (2001) PAST RESEARCH PROJECTS A number of case studies of developments in The Centre has commissioned 15 cross- mobile and wireless border research projects in the fields of telephony across the Irish telecommunications developments, health border from a research services, disadvantage in education, EU team led by two of Ireland’s leading funding programmes, local government specialists in information retrieval, data links, mental health promotion, waste analysis and image and signal processing: management policies, local history Professor Fionn Murtagh, then of Queen’s societies, animal health, the euro, University Belfast, and Dr John Keating of sustainable development, diversity in early National University of Ireland Maynooth. years education, science and citizenship The project was sponsored by eircom. education, public sector training and hospital services. Cross-Border Co-operation in Health Services in Ireland (2001) These projects involved researchers A study of the past, drawn from 13 universities, colleges and present and potential for independent research centres in Ireland future co-operation in and Britain: Queen’s University Belfast, health services across the University of Ulster, Dublin City Irish border by a research University, University College Dublin, team led by Dr Jim National University of Ireland Galway, Jamison, formerly director National University of Ireland Maynooth, of the Health and Social St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Care Research Unit at Stranmillis University College, the Institute Queen’s University of Public Administration, Belfast City Belfast, and including Professor Hospital, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Martin McKee of the London School of the London School of Hygiene and Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Dr Ciaran Tropical Medicine and the Centre for O’Neill of the University of Ulster, and Ms Cross Border Studies itself. The research Michelle Butler of the Institute of Public assignments under the North/South Administration in Dublin. public sector training project (see pages 117 and 139) also involved civil and Ireland’s Learning Poor: public servants from both jurisdictions. Adult Educational Disadvantage and Cross-Border Co-operation (2001) The Centre has published the following A study of the needs of the more than a research projects: million people on the island who left 137

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school with few or no of the University of Ulster of the different qualifications by Dr Mark kinds of cross-border links between local Morgan of St Patrick’s authorities, including one-to-one College, Drumcondra, and linkages, local government cross-border Mr Paul McGill, formerly networks, and cross-border partnerships education correspondent involving other agencies. It also analysed of the Belfast Telegraph. the project management methods used, They concluded that the views of the councillors involved and current policies in both the involvement of the European Union. jurisdictions were far removed from a vision of lifelong learning The Foot-and-Mouth which allows people of all ages and Disease Crisis and the social classes equal access to education Irish Border (2002) and training. A study of the cross-border dimension of the 2001 Creating Living foot-and-mouth disease Institutions: outbreak by the Centre’s EU Cross-Border Co- research manager, Dr operation after the Patricia Clarke, with Good Friday Agreement comments from the (2001) Departments of Agriculture in Belfast A study by Professor and Dublin. Issued exactly a year after Brigid Laffan and Dr the original outbreak in England, the Diane Payne of the report’s findings were praised by the two Institute for British-Irish Ministers, Brid Rodgers and Joe Walsh, as Studies at University College Dublin, “extremely valuable” in helping the which analysed the interaction between Departments to formulate actions to deal the North-South Institutions set up under with animal health emergencies. the Good Friday Agreement – notably the North/South Ministerial Council and the Promoting Mental Health Special EU Programmes Body - and the and Social Well-being: EU’s funding programme for cross-border Cross-Border co-operation, INTERREG. Opportunities and Challenges (2002) Cross-Border Co- This is a two-part study by operation in Local a team from National Government: Models of University of Ireland Management, Galway led by Dr Margaret Development and Barry and Ms Sharon Friel. Reconciliation (2001) It examined a number of cross- A study by Professor Derek border projects in the areas of postnatal Birrell and Amanda Hayes depression, public awareness of suicide, 138

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cancer support services, the mental Diversity in Early Years health of young men and mental health Education North and in rural communities. The study also South: Implications for looked at the comparability and Teacher Education (2004) compatibility of mental health data The aim of this EU-funded sources in the two jurisdictions. study was to identify the difficulties facing teachers The Local History Project: and children in areas of Co-operating North and inter-community conflict South (2003) and tension on both sides This study, by Dr Jacinta of the Irish border with a view to Prunty, Dr Raymond Gillespie developing a framework for preparing and Maeve Mulryan-Moloney young teachers working with children in of National University of the early years. It was carried out by Ireland Maynooth, provided researchers at St Patrick’s College the basis for the first all- Drumcondra in Dublin and Stranmillis Ireland register of local University College in Belfast, Mairin history societies. They identified 330 Kenny and Helen McLaughlin, under the societies, but estimated that a complete direction of Philomena Donnelly and list would exceed 500 societies, North Louise Quinn. and South, involving an active membership of perhaps 28,000 persons. Citizenship and Science: The Connecting Axes Towards a Green Isle? Local (2005) Sustainable Development The final report of the EU- on the Island of Ireland funded Citizenship and (2004) Science Exchange (CaSE) A study of local sustainable Schools project looked at development as carried out how a group of 12-14 (through the Local Agenda year old students in 16 21 process) by local schools on both sides of authorities and social the border deepened their partners throughout Ireland, understanding of the dynamic by a cross-border team comprising relationship between science and Geraint Ellis and Dr Bill Neill of the citizenship. The students explored Queen’s University Belfast’s School of subjects such as air and water pollution, Environmental Planning, and Dublin- waste management, GM and fair trade based researchers Una Hand and Brian foods, renewable energy and energy Motherway. It found that 54% of local efficiency. Much of the cross-border authorities on the island had begun a work centred on a shared Web resource. process of LA21, but stressed that the This project was led by Professor Peter main challenge is to move from debate McKenna and Dr Charlotte Holland of to action. Dublin City University. 139

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The Wind Across the Border (2007). border region to benefit the health of This report brought together six award the population. winning research assignments carried out by pairs and teams of officials as part of COMMISSIONED STUDIES AND the North/South and Cross- EVALUATIONS Border Public Sector Training Programme. They were on The Centre has carried out studies and the proposed reopening of evaluations for government and the Ulster Canal; an all- other public agencies and social island service for the partner organisations. recycling of waste fridges These have included: and freezers; expanding the CAWT-sponsored eMed renal • A study of mental health policy and information system to the whole island; research on the island of Ireland, for an all-island visitor pass for heritage sites; the Mental Health Commission (RoI) setting up a cross-border training and and other agencies, supported by the accreditation system for installers of Cooperation and Working Together renewable energy technologies; and (CAWT) cross-border network of cross-border sharing of patient health authorities (December 2008) electronic records. • An evaluation of the cross-border GP out-of-hours service for Cooperation Removing the Barriers: An Initial and Working Together (July 2008) Report on the Potential for Cross- • A study of postgraduate flows from Border Cooperation in the Republic of Ireland to Northern Hospital Services (2007) Ireland higher education institutions, This short report compared for the Irish Department of Education the planning of hospital and Science (January 2008) service reorganisation, North • How the trade union movement can and South. It noted that become more involved and influential there are different strategies in North-South cooperation, for the in the two jurisdictions, Northern Ireland office of the Irish with Northern Ireland Congress of Trade Unions (December placing greater emphasis 2007). on travel time and the Republic on the • A review of policy recommendations size of the catchment population. The from the five research projects authors,independent Belfast researcher Dr commissioned by the Higher Jim Jamison and Dr Michelle Butler, Education Authority under the 2004- Senior Lecturer in UCD’s School of 2006 Cross-Border Programme for Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, Research contributing to Peace and point to the clear scope for joint hospital Reconciliation: Intergenerational planning and rationalisation in the transmission and ethno-national 140

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identity in the border area; Equality PriceWaterhouseCoopers/Indecon and social inclusion; Mapping Obstacles to Mobility study, for the Frontiers, Plotting Pathways; E- North/South Ministerial Council consultation; and Virtual Research (2002) Centre for Point-of-Care Technology • A study into the feasibility of (February 2007). extending University for • An overview of the activities of the Industry/learndirect to the Republic Common Chapter of the Republic of of Ireland, for University for Industry Ireland’s National Development Plan (2001) and Northern Ireland’s Structural • An evaluation of the Co-operation Funds Plan for the Special EU and Working Together (CAWT) cross- Programmes Body – in partnership border network of health boards and with FPM Chartered Accountants trusts, for CAWT(2001) (February 2007) • A ‘scoping study’ of North-South • A report on public attitudes to the School, Youth and Teacher development of cross-border health Exchanges, for the Department of services, with particular reference to Education (Bangor) and the GP out-of-hours services, for CAWT Department of Education and (January 2007) Science (Dublin) (2001) • A report on education and skills in the North West, for the Irish Department of Education and Science SEMINARS AND STUDY DAYS and the Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning (2006) The Centre holds regular seminars and • An Evaluation of the Education for study days in Armagh, Dublin and in the Reconciliation Project (Year One and border region to examine strategic areas Two), for the City of Dublin of interest to North-South policy makers. Vocational Education Committee These bring together groups of policy (2003-2005) makers, senior practitioners and • A Review of Cross-Border Mobility academics to discuss a research paper Information Provisions in the South of prepared by the Centre under the Ireland, for the North/South Mobility chairmanship of a distinguished authority Information Group (2003) in the field. As the Centre’s research • An Evaluation of the Upstate Theatre programme has developed, these Company’s ‘Crossover’ cross-border seminars have moved from studying community drama project (2002- broad policy fields to examining more 2004) focussed areas which have been the • ‘Towards a Strategic Economic and subject of specific research projects and Business Research Agenda for the commissioned work. Cross-border island of Ireland’, for seminars and study days have been InterTradeIreland (2002) organised in the following areas: • A report on public feedback to the 141

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• Agriculture held at Queen’s University Belfast in • Education autumn 2000 under the title ‘European • Tourism Cross Border Co-operation: Lessons • Information and Communication for and from Ireland.’ This Technologies international conference was opened by • Health Services the Irish President, Mary McAleese, and • Mental Health Promotion was addressed by a wide range of • Developments in Telecom distinguished speakers, including the then Technologies First Minister of Northern Ireland, David • Local government links Trimble; the Deputy First Minister, • Foot and Mouth disease Seamus Mallon; the then RUC Chief • School, Youth and Teacher Exchanges Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan; the head • European citizenship education of the EU’s cross-border INTERREG • The euro programme, Esben Poulsen; the • Business research international emergency communications • The North-South Consultative Forum expert, Professor Edward Johnson; • Ageing Ambassador Hermann von Richthofen of • Border region history* the German-Polish Governmental • Border region regeneration* Commission; and the then SDLP leader • Waste Management John Hume. Participants came from 13 • Economic co-operation* countries to discuss cross-border co- • Planning and mobility in the North operation in five areas: administrative West* institutions, security and policing, • Science and Citizenship business and the economy, the • Information provision environment, and culture and the arts. • Housing and sustainable communities • Education and Skills in the North The Centre has also organised six North- West South conferences on aspects of higher • Mental Health Research education on behalf of the Department • Personal Banking for Employment and Learning (Belfast) • Web 2.0 aspects of online cross- and the Department of Education and border information Science (Dublin). The first of these, in October 2002 in Armagh, was on * For the Mapping Frontiers, Plotting ‘Ireland as a Centre of Excellence in Pathways project Third Level Education.’ This conference, which was attended by the presidents of seven of the nine CONFERENCES universities on the island of Ireland, was addressed by several world authorities on The first major conference organised by higher education. These included the Centre, jointly with the Centre for Professor Malcolm Skilbeck, the OECD’s International Borders Research (CIBR), was former Deputy Director for Education; 142

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former US Secretary of Education, examined examples of good Richard Riley; the Director-General for practice in cross-border Education and Culture in the European higher education elsewhere Commission, Nikolaus van der Pas, and in Europe, notably in the the Chief Executive of the English Oresund region of Denmark Higher Education Funding Council, and southern Sweden (with Sir Howard Newby. keynote speaker Professor Linda Nielsen, Rector of In May 2003, the second conference was the University of held in Cavan on ‘International Copenhagen), and the Education: A Capacity Builder for the EUCOR network between French, German Island of Ireland?’ The keynote and Swiss universities in the Upper Rhine speakers were Lindy Hyam, Chief region. The conference was co-chaired by Executive of IDP Education Australia, a Sir Kenneth Bloomfield and Noel Dorr. world leader in international education and development services, and Neil The fifth conference was Kemp, director of the Education UK held in Belfast in June 2005 Division of the British Council. The under the title ‘Higher conference was chaired by Education and Business: Sir George Quigley. Beyond Mutual Incomprehension’. The In November 2003, the third keynote speaker was conference was held in Richard Lambert, member Belfast on ‘Widening of the Bank of England’s Access to Third Level Monetary Policy Education on the Island Committee, former editor of the of Ireland: Towards Financial Times and author of the Better Policy and seminal Lambert Review of University- Practice’. The keynote Business Collaboration for the British speakers were Dr Arnold Government. The conference was opened Mitchem, President of the by the Irish Minister for Education and Council for Opportunity in Education in Science, Ms Mary Hanafin TD, and the Washington DC, a champion of access to Northern Ireland Minister for Employment higher education for low income and and Learning and Education, Ms Angela disabled Americans for 35 years, and Smyth MP. Other speakers included the Samuel Isaacs, Executive Officer of the Presidents of Queen’s University Belfast South African Qualifications Authority. and NUI Maynooth, Professor Peter Gregson and Professor John Hughes, and The fourth conference – entitled ‘Cross- leading Irish entrepreneurs Dr Chris Horn Border Higher Education Co- and Dr Hugh Cormican. operation in Ireland and Europe’ – was held in Cavan in May 2004. This 143

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The sixth conference was Fermanagh, Monaghan and Westmeath held in Malahide in March to engage in two days of astronomical 2006 with the title ‘What activities in Armagh. The event was role for Higher funded by the Northern Ireland Education in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Development of the and the Irish Department of Education 21st Century and Science, and was designed to attract Workplace?’ The keynote students aged 13-14 towards science and speakers were the Board a scientific thinking at a critical stage of Chairman of the Intel their academic careers. A 32 page Corporation, Dr Craig Barrett; the booklet, edited by Dr Miruna Popescu, Directors General of the Confederation of was produced for the participating British Industry and the Irish Business and schools by Observatory students and Employers Confederation, Sir Digby Jones staff. A second cross-border schools and Turlough O’Sullivan; the Education science conference will be held in and Training Officer of the Irish Congress Armagh in April 2009. of Trade Unions, Peter Rigney; the Chief Executive of Forfás, Martin Cronin, and In June 2008 the Centre the President of Dublin City University, organised a major Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski. The conference in Dundalk conference was opened by the Secretary entitled ‘Cross-Border General of the Irish Department for Cooperation as part of Education and Science, Brigid McManus, the Northern Irish Peace and the Permanent Secretary of the Process: Some Lessons Northern Ireland Department for for Europe’ which was Employment and Learning, Dr Aideen attended by over 130 McGinley. The event was organised in people from 13 countries: Ireland, collaboration with the IBEC-CBI Joint England, Scotland, France, Spain, Business Council. Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Serbia, Kosovo, China and the USA. The In March 2007 the Centre conference was opened by the Irish joined with Armagh Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern TD, Observatory to organise and among the speakers were Stephen ‘Discover the Stars at Kingon, Chairman, Invest Northern Armagh: a Cross-Border Ireland; Martin Guillermo Ramirez, Schools Science Secretary General of the Association of Conference.’ This European Border Regions; Ronald Hall, brought together 260 Head of the European Commission’s students from secondary Northern Ireland Task Force; Professor schools in Belfast, Elizabeth Meehan, former Director of the Armagh, Dublin, Dundalk, Drogheda, Institute of Governance at Queen’s Dungannon, Kilkeel, Cookstown, University Belfast; Silvia Gobert-Keckeis of 144

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Mission Opérationelle Transfrontalière WHAT THEY SAY (MOT) in Paris; Linda Blom from the Euregio Gronau-Enschede (Germany- I mean it quite genuinely when I say that Netherlands); and Gorka Espiau Idoiaga, we wouldn’t be able to work at the level Senior Advisor for Peacebuilding to the that we are working at – at ministerial or Basque Government. This conference was departmental level – if the ‘on the funded by the EU Peace Two programme. ground’ cross-border work hadn’t been happening for the last few years. If the type of interactions, workshops, PUBLICATIONS seminars, publications and visiting speakers hadn’t been going on in In 2001 the Centre frameworks like that of SCoTENS, the published, in association barriers wouldn’t have been broken down with Cork University to the same degree. The contribution Press, a series of short that SCoTENS, the Centre for Cross books containing essays Border Studies and Andy Pollak have by leading writers on made to the overall process of peace and key issues of interest to cooperation in this country is probably both Irish jurisdictions: not widely noticed, but it is certainly well-recognised and well appreciated as • Multi-Culturalism: part of the overall process. the View from the Two Irelands by Irish Minister for Education and Science, Edna Longley and Mary Hanafin TD, November 2007 Declan Kiberd, with a foreword What the Centre for Cross Border Studies by President Mary is doing is really important. We hope that McAleese you will provide analytical and research • Can the Celtic Tiger support to what we’re trying to do in the cross the Irish Border? by John British-Irish Intergovernmental Bradley and Esmond Birnie, with a Conference, pushing forward a significant foreword by Peter Sutherland North-South agenda on a purely practical • Towards a Culture of Human Rights basis, and looking at the concept of an in Ireland by Ivana Bacik and Stephen all-island economy. We need to maximise Livingstone, with a foreword by the benefits of this cross-border work, Mary Robinson identifying what will and will not succeed. This is not an academic exercise – its practical outcomes are almost limitless. In economic terms this is a pretty small island which should be looking outwards towards the global economy rather than inwards. We need 145

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Speakers at the June 2008 conference: ‘Cross Border Cooperation as part of the Northern Irish Peace Process: Some Lessons for Europe.’ From left to right: Mr Martín Guillermo Ramirez, Secretary General, Association of European Border Regions; Ms Aine Lawlor, RTE (chair); Mr Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and Mr Pat Colgan, Chief Executive, Special EU Programme Body. to be encouraging cross-border the private sector, trade unions, the cooperation to gain the maximum farming sector, the voluntary and benefits for Northern Ireland in that community sector, the universities and global context. This is very rich and other educational institutions, to name fruitful territory for the Centre to be but a few – have a critical role to play working in. also in this process. This is where the role of the Centre for Cross Border Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Studies has been, and will continue to Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, February 2007 be, so important and valuable. You have carved out a very useful role in The Centre for Cross Border Studies complementing the work of the new always takes a very fresh and innovative North-South institutions created by the approach, bringing together sources of Agreement, and serving as a kind of energy on both sides of the border that interface between the public sector in used to be back to back but are now in both parts of the island and non- an extraordinary dialogue. governmental practitioners in the field.

President Mary McAleese, An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD, February 2005 February 2005

It is essential that North-South The continued excellence of the research co-operation is not the exclusive preserve carried out by the Centre brings to mind of the politicians or the public sector. the words of John Ruskin: “Quality is Other actors in the North-South arena – 146

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never an accident. It is always a result of One of the Centre's key achievements intelligent effort.” during 2008 was the public launch, in Dublin and Derry/Londonderry, of the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil cross-border mobility website Border Service, Nigel Hamilton,March 2006 People (www.borderpeople.info), which was developed at the request of the The Centre for Cross Border Studies has NSMC. This website provides a wide had yet another successful year in range of information for people who supporting mutually beneficial cross wish to cross the border in either border co-operation in key policy areas direction to work, study and live. The such as health, education and cross Centre continues to develop the border mobility. Through its research information on the website and monitor activities and findings the Centre has its usage. added to the knowledge base and brought together policy makers, We look forward to the continuing researchers, academics and others to support of the Centre in 2009. collaborate and find practical solutions to issues affecting people's lives. North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretaries, Mary Bunting and Tom With the able assistance of the Centre, Hanney, February 2009 the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) has gone from strength to strength, EVALUATION QUOTES having seed-funded over 40 North-South research and conference projects in the by Brian Harvey (Brian Harvey Social past six years. It is now also supporting Research, Dublin) the highly innovative North-South Student Teacher Exchange programme, which sends student teachers to do their ‘Clients of the Centre appraised its work teaching practice in the other jurisdiction as more than competent, demonstrating (now in its fifth year). the highest levels of professionalism, coupled with commitment and invariable The Centre's North/South Public Sector courtesy. Expert opinion likewise gave a Training Programme held an over- high assessment of the Centre’s subscribed fifth course in 2008, with performance, admiring its quality, output, more senior and central government civil impact, relevance, value for money, servants on it than ever before, and is working methods, expertise, vision, tact planning a sixth course, the first without and diplomacy.’ EU Peace funding and with the Institute of Public Administration as a possible ‘Comments were: “its projects are always new partner, in 2009. very thorough”; “doing a great job in challenging circumstances”; “the director 147

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has an excellent grasp of what is tight timeframes and with a small necessary to move things along”; number of staff“. “nothing more important than north- south reconciliation”; “contributes a ‘One organisation, whose work had been significant amount of information to the facilitated by the Centre, spoke wider policy arena”; “does important enthusiastically of the Centre’s work and deserves more exposure”. commitment to arranging cross-border contacts and promoting relationships ‘The Centre was considered to be between groups that had hitherto little professional, reliable and worked hard. Its contact, making the comment that: staff were “a pleasure to deal with”. “Once the relationship was established They did a “tremendous job”, provided and got going, the Centre walked quietly “good support and service”, “they do away. It didn’t try to hog the limelight or what they have to do – and more.” All build an empire but let them get on the staff were good – “but that comes with it”. from the values set down from the director at the top”. They were “efficient, focussed, interested and believed in what they were doing”.

‘Several commented that the Centre went beyond what was expected, “treating the project pro-actively, bringing fresh energy and commitment, finding imaginative ways to work around problems”.

‘The Centre was admired and respected for its commitment, energy, political even-handedness and ability to open doors to people who might not otherwise be in contact with each other. It has oiled the wheels of co-operation better than anyone else could, bringing an ever wider range of people into co- operation – “not just border people, but as far south as Cork”.

All‘ had a sense that the Centre had performed well on minimal staffing and resources. “It is transparent, managing an extensive programme, working within 148

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Board Members and Staff

Dr Chris Gibson (chair), chairman, Foyle Meats Group and Wilson’s Country Ltd; chair, Northern Ireland Civic Forum Chris Gibson Dr Pauric Travers (vice-chair), president, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin

Dr Jane Wilde, director, the Institute of Public Health in Ireland

Helen Johnston, senior social policy analyst, National Economic and Social Council, Dublin Pauric Travers Professor Liam O’Dowd, director of the Centre for International Borders Research and professor of sociology at Queen’s University Belfast

Paul Nolan, director, Institute of Lifelong Learning, Queen’s University Belfast

Professor Ronaldo Munck, strategic theme leader for Patricia Clarke internationalisation, interculturalism and social development, Dublin City University

Colin Neilands, director, Workers’ Educational Association (Northern Ireland)

Professor Dermot Diamond, director, Science Foundation Ireland-funded A‘ daptive Information Mairead Hughes Cluster’, National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University

Tony Kennedy, former chief executive, Co-operation Ireland, and member, Northern Ireland Community Relations Council

Colin Stutt, independent economic consultant, Belfast Andy Pollak 149

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The director of the Centre is Andy Pollak, formerly religion and education correspondent of , and in the early 1990s coordinator of the Opsahl Commission.

The Centre’s research manager is Dr Patricia Clarke, formerly a senior researcher with the London Ambulance Service, and its IT manager is Joseph Shiels, a former software developer with Fujitsu and consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Centre’s finance and administration manager is Mairéad Hughes. The director’s PA and events manager is Patricia McAllister. The INICCO project administrator is Eimear Donnelly. The information officer is Annmarie O’Kane.

Patricia McAllister Joseph Shiels Eimear Donnelly Annmarie O’Kane 150

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EXTRACTS FROM 2007-2008 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The opinion of the independent auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP:

• The financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, of the state of the charitable company’s affairs at 31 July 2008 and of its net incoming resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended; • and the financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, and • the information given in the Directors’ Report is consistent with the financial statements.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2008

Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds Funds Funds 2008 2007 £ £ £ £

Incoming resources Activities for generating funds - 646,020 646,020 316,936 Other income 472,239 - 472,239 431,475

Total incoming resources 472,239 646,020 1,118,259 748,411

Resources expended Direct charitable expenditure 430,450 436,494 866,944 660,025 Costs of generating funds 14,141 - 14,141 13,805

Total resources expended 444,591 436,494 881,085 673,830

Net movement in funds 27,648 209,526 237,174 74,581

Fund balance carried 76,741 161,242 237,983 163,402 forward at 1 August 2007

Fund balance carried 104,389 370,768 475,157 237,983 forward at 31 July 2008 151

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BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2008

2008 2007 £ £

Current assets Debtors 629,352 402,262 Cash at bank 200 200

629,552 402,462 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (154,395) (164,479)

Net current assets 475,157 237,983

Funds Unrestricted 104,389 76,741 Restricted 370,768 161,242

475,157 237,983

Debtors 2008 2007 £ £

Other debtors and prepayments 205,913 59,014 Amounts due from The Queen’s University of Belfast 423,439 343,248

629,352 402,262

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

2008 2007 £ £

Accruals 27,275 51,517 Deferred income 127,120 112,962

154,395 164,479 152

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Funds Balance at Balance at 1 August Incoming Resources 31 July 2007 resources expended 2008 £ £ £ £

Restricted funds 161,242 646,020 (436,494) 370,768 Unrestricted funds 76,741 472,239 (444,591) 104,389

Total funds 237,983 1,118,259 (881,085) 475,157

Unrestricted funds are amounts which are expendable at the discretion of the Board in furtherance of the aims of the Company.

Restricted funds are amounts which are expendable only in accordance with the specified wishes of the sponsor. The restricted funds consist of grants and awards for specific projects or administrative functions carried out by the company. 153

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CONTACT DETAILS

MAIN OFFICE

The Centre for Cross Border Studies 39 Abbey Street Armagh BT61 7EB Northern Ireland

Tel: (028) 3751 1550 Fax: (028) 3751 1721 (048 from the Republic of Ireland)

DUBLIN OFFICE

The Centre for Cross Border Studies Room QG11 Business School Dublin City University Dublin 9 Ireland

Tel: (01) 7008477 Fax: (01) 7008478 (00353-1 from Northern Ireland)

E-mail addresses: [email protected] Andy Pollak [email protected] Mairéad Hughes [email protected] Patricia Clarke [email protected] Joseph Shiels [email protected] Patricia McAllister [email protected] Eimear Donnelly [email protected] Annmarie O’Kane

Websites: www.crossborder.ie www.borderireland.info www.borderpeople.info 154

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NOTES 155

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NOTES 156

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