Development In Ireland Research Articles

Reframing development in Ireland: making the case for an urban lab approach

ABSTRACT In this paper, we map the evolution of approaches to development in Ireland since the formation of the state. With reference to the current national and international context, we make the case for the adoption of a transformational approach to development in one of Europe’s most centralized countries. We highlight the growing literature on socio-ecological approaches to growth and consider the potential for the development of an urban lab to enable a radical shift in approaches to development in Ireland. The paper shines a light on certain initiatives already underway in Galway, Ireland and posits their culmination in the delivery of an urban lab for the city. In particular, we cite the opportunities afforded by urban labs to better define growth (a more socio-ecological definition of innovation) and facilitate the co-authoring of development through place-based experimentalism at the local level.

Coordination, framing and innovation: the political sophistication of public health advocates in Ireland.

Background and AimsThis study explores the role of the public health advocacy coalition in alcohol policy development in Ireland. Compared with industry actors, much less is known about the membership, activities and influence of public health advocates in alcohol policymaking. To address this gap, this paper identifies several advocacy strategies, drawn from the advocacy coalition framework and other policy theories, and then analyses them in the context of recent Irish developments.MethodsThe study used theory‐building process‐tracing to construct a record of the public health advocacy coalition and its campaign to promote the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 in Ireland. Specifically, we drew upon 131 primary documents produced by advocates, 464 newspaper articles and 18 semi‐structured interviews with key advocates, public health experts and elected officials to undertake a thematic analysis.ResultsPublic health advocates in Ireland have developed sophisticated political strategies to foster major alcohol policy change. First, public health advocates led the formation of a broad‐based advocacy coalition that helped members to effectively pool their limited resources as well as coordinate their strategy and messaging. Secondly, issue‐framing and message discipline played a key role in the coalition's success. Advocates strategically focused upon the policy problem, specifically health harms, rather than the detailed content of the proposed measures. Finally, there is evidence of political learning, where advocates’ prior experiences and knowledge of the political system in Ireland spurred innovations in campaigning. These strategies were interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and succeeded in building support for public health advocates’ preferred policies among politicians and the general public.Discussion/conclusionThere are distinct capabilities that public health actors can mobilize in the policy process to win alcohol policy debates and capitalize on the constraints on industry influence on alcohol policymaking.

Revival or bilingualism? The impact of European nationalist thinking on Irish language curricular policy around the advent of political independence in Ireland

ABSTRACT Following a period of close to a century when the Irish language was placed at the margins of the education system under British rule, there was a radical change in curriculum provision following political independence in Ireland in the 1920s. The importance of the Irish language in defining sovereignty, national identity, and nationhood in the Irish Free State was central to these curricular changes. Within months of the achievement of political independence, curriculum policy was revised to include provision for the teaching of the Irish language to all pupils in primary schools as well as the use of Irish as the medium of instruction in infant classes (the first two years of primary school). The education system became the linchpin in the political and cultural campaign to restore the Irish language as the vernacular. This paper critically examines how nationalist thinking in Ireland, which had its origins in nineteenth-century European discourses, impacted on curriculum decisions pertaining to the Irish language in the early 1900s. Focusing on the interrelationship between nationalism, language, and education, it traces the process and provisions of curriculum development in Ireland in the 1920s. Overall the paper argues that the influence of nationalism as understood in the wider European context of the time shifted emphasis in Ireland away from bilingualism (Irish and English languages) to the revival of the Irish language in the 1920s, primarily through the education system, to add political legitimacy to the new Irish Free State.

“Following the Science”: In Search of Evidence-Based Policy for Indoor Air Pollution from Radon in Ireland

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate inside dwellings, represents the second biggest cause of lung cancer globally. In Ireland, radon is linked to approximately 300 lung cancer cases every year, equating to 12% of all lung cancer deaths. Despite the health risks posed by radon air pollution, Ireland lacks well-defined and universally applicable air pollution-related public health policies. Through purposive literature sampling, we critically examine the case of indoor radon policy development in Ireland. Specifically, we analyse the evidence-based policymaking process relating to indoor radon pollution from three different knowledge dimensions, namely political, scientific, and practical knowledge. In doing so, we identify various challenges inherent to pollution-related public policymaking. We highlight the difficulties of balancing and integrating information from multiple disciplines and perspectives and argue that input from multiple scientific areas is crucial, but can only be achieved through continued, dialogic communication between stakeholders. On the basis of our analysis, we suggest that a transdisciplinary perspective, defined as a holistic approach which subordinates disciplines and looks at the dynamics of whole systems, will allow evidence-based policymaking to be effective. We end with recommendations for evidence-based policymaking when it comes to public health hazards such as radon, which are applicable to sustainable air pollution management beyond Ireland.

The (mis)alignment between young people’s collective physical activity experience and physical education curriculum development in Ireland

ABSTRACT Major curriculum changes have recently occurred in Ireland, including redeveloping the primary curriculum and the enactment of the Junior Cycle Framework (DES, 2015). Positive and negative experiences affect the attitudes which contribute to determining the quality of curricular experiences. Framed in the work of Fullan, M. (1991. The New Meaning of Educational Change. Toronto: Teachers College Press) and Dewey, J. (1997. Experience and Education. New York, NY: Touchstone), this study aims to understand how young people’s experiences of collective physical activity can inform physical education curriculum development and enactment. Focus group interviews were conducted in three primary and three post-primary schools. The young people’s experiences reflected the features of meaningful physical education: fun opportunities, preferably outside; to socially interact with friends; provision of activities that are both competitive and non-competitive; activities focused on team sport and alternative forms of movement such as yoga; differentiated activities and teams and choice, beyond choosing between team sports only. We argue that the young person’s voice has the potential to inform policy and practice, as well as enforce and advocate for policy and practice that positions young people at the centre of the learning experience.

Linking Sustainable Development Assessment in Ireland and the European Union with Economic Theory

Economists offer what is arguably the most internally consistent framework for sustainable development assessment, the so-called “capital approach”. To operationalise the capital approach, measures of the changes in comprehensive national wealth (Genuine Savings) are required. In this paper, we present estimates of Ireland’s Genuine Savings using the updated public spending code for direction and compare our results with existing estimates in the literature. For practical sustainability assessment, no single indicator is capable of providing an all-encompassing answer, but as we demonstrate, the current monitoring of sustainable development in Ireland and across the EU lacks coherence. We suggest potential paths forward for sustainability policy and assessment that preserve the link with economic theory. We show that regardless of the viewpoint taken on sustainability, the capital approach can provide guidance for a coherent assessment framework.

Interval type-2 fuzzy sets based multi-criteria decision-making model for offshore wind farm development in Ireland

Offshore wind energy takes up an important place in Ireland’s renewable generation portfolio thanks to its abundant offshore wind resource. Optimal offshore site selection and developing site-specific energy policy instruments are of key importance to the success of offshore wind energy investments. In this respect, this study aims at developing a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model considering technical, economic, environmental and social criteria to assess Ireland’s most promising offshore wind sites in terms of their sustainable development. An interval type-2 fuzzy sets based MCDM model is developed that integrates the score function with positive and negative solutions to achieve better results. Moreover, advanced energy economic metrics such as levelized cost of electricity with higher resolution are integrated into the decision-making process to make more precise decisions. Case studies are conducted for the five of the offshore sites in development pipeline. Results are compared to those of other state-of-the-art MCDM methods. It is found that Arklow Bank-2 is the most favorable site while Sceirde is the least site. The ranking of other sites is found to be Oriel>Dublin Array>Codling Park. It is shown that the proposed approach is superior in terms of stability and implementation as compared to its counterparts.

Developing immigrant integration policy in the Irish public sector: An international human rights and public sector duty approach

Abstract This paper outlines a new approach to the development of immigrant integration policy in Ireland that is informed by an international human rights and public sector duty perspective. Based on a comprehensive review, the paper outlines the current state of immigrant integration policies in the Irish public sector, highlighting the limited awareness of this issue among public bodies. It also provides practical guidance for public bodies wishing to develop more effective immigrant integration policies, drawing from international human rights treaties and from examples of policy development in Ireland. Given the reality that Ireland is now a well-established immigrant-receiving country, the paper concludes that Ireland urgently needs a coherent and comprehensive approach to the development of immigrant integration policy. A human-rights-based approach offers such a method and would allow Ireland, through its public sector, to become a leader in immigrant integration policy development. This approach requires the elaboration of specific integration policies in order to ensure that migrant populations can practically access fundamental human rights such as housing, education, healthcare and employment.

Detection and Evaluation of Amplitude Modulation From a Wind Energy Development, Ireland

Amplitude modulation (AM) is a characteristic of wind turbine noise that has only been recognised as an issue in recent years. It is a characteristic related to aerodynamic noise and descriptions of it include "swishing", "whooshing" or less frequently a "thumping" sound. Due to increased awareness among exposed communities AM presents a potentially serious obstacle to future wind farm developments. This work reports on the application of a recently developed calculation method for AM in a practical setting. Correlations will be drawn with subjective reports of AM by nearby residents keeping a noise diary. The suitability of the method and its ability to quantitatively confirm subjective reports of AM will be assessed. A study is presented here whereby subjectively recorded occurrences of AM by residents living near a wind energy development in Ireland are correlated to calculated levels over a twenty day period. In order to detect and calculate AM a method published by the Amplitude Modulation Working Group of the Institute of Acoustics, referred to as the Reference Method, is applied. A subjective assessment of the sound recordings to confirm the presence of AM is discussed, including estimating the expected frequency range that AM occurs. The results of the Reference Method calculation are presented for periods with and without a subjective report of AM by the residents. Consideration is given to the criteria and thresholds for valid AM ratings within the Reference Method especially where intermittent periods of AM are identified. The Reference Method is shown to be highly suitable as a quantitative measure of AM which correlates well with subjective reports. Caution must be taken when using the method as valid periods of AM may be overlooked due to the rigorous detection thresholds set by the method.

73 Challenges in Developing an Age-friendly County Programme in Ireland: Translating Global WHO Policy into Local Practice

Abstract Background Developing age-friendly communities is a significant global policy issue. The WHO (2007) age-friendly cities and communities initiative has had a significant influence on the development of Ireland’s Age-Friendly Programme. With research on such programmes still at an early stage, this paper critically examines the utilisation of the WHO age-friendly planning framework in an Irish context. It explores older adults’ experience of living in two towns in an ‘age-friendly’ county and, in parallel, examines stakeholders’ perspectives on the development of the county’s age-friendly programme. This multi-perspectival approach facilitates an assessment of how the age-friendly county programme addresses older residents’ needs, and illustrates how the WHO conceptual and planning framework has worked in an Irish context. Methods The paper reports on a study which employed a mixed-method, qualitative case-study research design, using a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the lived experience of older adults, and a case-study framework for the stakeholder perspective. Results The research identifies salient social and cultural dimensions of the day-to-day lived experience of older people which, although they impact on the age-friendliness of the places in which they live, are neglected in the WHO framework. It also identifies a unique combination of economic, political, cultural, and organisational factors which have impacted on age-friendly programme development in Ireland. Conclusion In critically analysing use of the WHO age-friendly model, the paper suggests ways in which the model can be modified to better accommodate the diverse experience of older adults not only in Ireland, but also in other geographic and cultural contexts.

The Buchanan report and its aftermath: Implications for Irish regional planning

Abstract The so-called Buchanan report, commissioned by the Irish government and published in May 1969, comprised a set of proposals for regional industrial development in Ireland over the period 1966–86. The main thrust of the report was the concentration of the great bulk of new industrial employment creation in Dublin and eight proposed ‘growth centres’. The plan provided for the creation of powerful planning authorities to oversee development in the regions. The government rejected these proposals and opted instead to continue with the existing policy of widespread dispersal of new industry. While meeting with initial success, this policy proved unsustainable in the long term. The paper reviews the implications of the Buchanan report experience for the regional planning process in Ireland, arguing that failure to learn from this experience served to undermine the National Spatial Strategy, with a similar fate likely for the forthcoming National Planning Framework.

Visions and plans for regional development in Ireland

Abstract The evolution of spatial planning in Ireland, and more widely, has been a complex process in which many narratives have been explored at different times. In 2018 the government published the National Planning Framework (NPF) to guide and support the achievement of a challenging and potentially transformative development strategy for Ireland 2040. The NPF is grounded in a vision that sets out to be disruptive of what has become embedded as the status quo in political, administrative and planning decision-making. While it is a very innovative addition to the portfolio of government policies and strategies, it is not the first time that radical visions have been proposed. This paper reviews previous visions and plans for regional development that have been proposed over the last seventy-five years, and critically compares and contrasts the approaches represented by the National Spatial Strategy (2002–20) and the NPF (2018–40), including the subsequent draft regional spatial and economic strategies. The implications of the population projections and the proposed settlement patterns for the achievement of the NPF objective of effective regional development, which is expressed as a regional parity target, are closely examined.

‘Personal’ troubles and public spaces: the community as a site of care and social action

Abstract The crisis in community development in Ireland has been discussed by community workers, academics and equality experts. This article contributes to this analysis with empirical research encompassing the voice of people living with inequality, including a number of community activists. The research shows how affective relations take precedence in women’s discussions about social class inequality and activism at a community level. Yet, this everyday concern with the affective is not given a legitimate status in academic and political discourse about community development. It is argued that this depoliticization of affective relations is part of the crisis in community development when it fails to incorporate a political analysis of what matters most to people at a community level.

Feminist politics and semiperipheral poetics: Eavan Boland and Aislinn Hunter

ABSTRACTPutting world-systems and materialist feminist schools in conversation with work about the Celtic Tiger, this article engages with critical conversations about capitalist modernity in Ireland, contending that it cannot be delinked from gender and sexual politics. I examine how anxieties about capitalist development in Ireland are gendered in the literary aesthetics of Seamus Heaney and Eavan Boland, albeit very differently. My subsequent discussion of Aislinn Hunter’s novel, Stay (2002), shows how it draws on Irish literary inheritance to illustrate the tension between perceived traditional values, on the one hand, and modernity on the other. I suggest that tradition is a part of rather than opposite to modernity: I argue for the simultaneity of tradition and modernity. In both its form and content, Hunter’s novel considers how capitalist modernity is always already specifically gendered.

Stepping stones? An exploration of internal football player migration in the Republic of Ireland

ABSTRACTThe football spatial landscape is a key consideration for the equity of any football association and its constituent members. Organizational processes can shape these landscapes and influence player development. Analysing migratory patterns of youth footballers can provide an insight into such processes. This paper investigates the migratory patterns of underage footballers within the Republic of Ireland development pathway. The sample consisted of n = 1937 youth footballers who had been selected onto the Football Association of Ireland’s primary talent development programme, the Emerging Talent Programme (ETP), between 2006 and 2012. Analysis shows clear migratory patterns towards the Dublin District Schoolboy League (DDSL), primarily from a double-tiered level of migration around Dublin. Clubs that had developed reciprocal relationships with clubs in the UK and were more prominent at underage level were the most common location for internally migrating footballers. Research has historically neglected internal patterns of migration, focusing on transnational football migration. Internal patterns of migration demonstrate inequity across the football development pathway and may result in potential sources of talent being neglected or improperly developed which is a cause of concern within smaller national associations.

Research partnerships – embracing user involvement: practical considerations and reflections

Purpose Academic researchers are increasingly required, and rightly so, to demonstrate the impact of their work beyond the gates of the university. This has led to an increasing focus, especially in response to funded calls, on developing research partnerships that cross disciplines, sectors and borders to help address our grand societal challenges. The purpose of this paper is to set out learning from the work of the organisation the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI) and reflections on how to bring forward effective research partnerships involving users. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on reflections and learning from the organisation CARDI which delivered a highly successful programme of interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral and cross-country research partnerships in both rural and urban areas between 2007 and 2015, across the island of Ireland. Findings Research partnerships that wish to involve users require time, commitment, support, understanding and a willingness to change and be challenged. This paper highlights that there are methodological, philosophical, moral, economic and of course, practical aspects to be considered. Research limitations/implications This reflective paper is based on a case study from the island of Ireland during the period 2007–2015 working in the area of ageing and older people. Practical implications The author emphasises that for research partnerships involving users to be successful, they need to not only consider the most effective research methods but also focus on the overarching purpose of the work and adopt an ethos and practice that maximises each partner’s knowledge and expertise to their full potential. Social implications This reflective paper focused on the characteristics associated with partnership success, i.e. communication style, values, philosophy and practice and argues that establishing effective and inclusive partnerships requires time, the appropriate framework and reviewing the process on an ongoing basis. Originality/value The issue of user involvement in research partnerships requires much more consideration. Researchers, government, funders, businesses and service providers are increasingly recognising the benefits of “user” involvement to help design programmes and services that are most effective. Nowhere is this more important than in planning and delivering services, policy and programmes for our ageing population.

Seeking stakeholder consensus within Ireland's conflicted salmon aquaculture space

A 56-statement Q Methodology constructed a hierarchy of values from the views of eighty-six high-level, well-informed stakeholders on the subject of salmon aquaculture development in Ireland. These values, sorted by z-scores, provided a direct comparison on the strength of stakeholder priorities associated with salmon aquaculture, other maritime economic sectors, and the ecosystem goods and services they rely upon. By clustering issues within eight interrelated social-ecological systems themes and performing Principal Components Factor Analysis, five factor groups were identified. High-priority consensus views were identified from factor group Q sorts. Stakeholders broadly agree that maintaining healthy and productive maritime habitats is a priority for all related sectors, that the sector would benefit from an independent regulatory body, and that a policy movement away from single-sector and toward multi-sector approaches is needed to alleviate conflict in the shared maritime space. Ireland produced approximately 16,300 t of farmed salmon in 2016, one percent of the global share of production, and have are aiming to surpass 22,000 t per annum by 2023. This study shows that Q Methodology has the capacity to quantify hierarchies of values within communities and highlight areas of stakeholder consensus at a policy-relevant level. In doing so, Q Methodology allows policy-makers, managers, and stakeholder leaders to better define priorities, recommend broadly supported policies, and resolve conflict.

Barriers perceived by volunteer EMTs in Participating in Continuous Professional Development in Ireland.

<p>Introduction</p><p>Following the relaunch in 2016 of mandatory Continuous Professional Competency (CPC) for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) by Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) Ireland, the aim of this research was to explore volunteer EMTs perceived attitudes, barriers and confidence in relation to participating in CPC.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A questionnaire for EMTs was distributed to the four main pre-hospital volunteer organisations and via the PHECC CPC coordinator social media account (Facebook) to gather information on attitudes towards CPC, perceived barriers to participating in CPC, and finally comfort level in completing the didactic aspects of CPC.</p><p>Results</p><p>In total 341 eligible responses accounting for 15% of EMT registrants were analysed. 65% believed CPC was necessary for professional development, with 61% reporting it an important part of their practice. 57% believed CPC should be linked with maintaining PHECC registration, showing a decline of 38% against recent Irish research. The unique profile of respondents as volunteers highlights barriers commonly cited in the literature as having a more significant impact on CPC participation, most noteworthy over 80% cited time and access to relevant material/courses as impacting on participation. A 40/60 split between 2nd and 3rd level educational qualifications among respondents highlighted a marked difference in perceived confidence for completing didactic CPC elements among graduates with 2nd level reporting confidence at a third that of the level of 3rd level graduates. Compounding this finding, 52% of respondents reported receiving little or no training in CPC. Additionally, respondents cited restricted or no access to online journal or materials due to poor links via PHECC Registered Training Institutions or representative bodies to academic library access impacting on their ability to complete the didactic element of CPC.</p><p>Recommendations</p><p>It is recommended that the PHECC 2014 EMT Education and Training Standard be updated to include standardised CPC education for newly qualified EMTs. To fulfil case studies, reflective practice and literature reviews, volunteer EMTs require access to online journals and treatment information beyond the pre-hospital arena, all of which require immediate and viable solutions for successful completion of CPC by EMTs.</p>

It’s Not Rocket Science: The Case from Ireland for a Policy Focus on Men’s Health

Historically, men, as a population group, have been conspicuous by their absence at a global and national health policy level. Moreover, most gender-focused health policy initiatives and gender-mainstreaming approaches to health have tended to be synonymous with women’s health. This places Ireland’s National Men’s Health Policy (NMHP) and recent external 5-year review in the collector’s item category within the wider health policy landscape. This paper will review the impetus and background to men’s health policy development in Ireland against a backdrop of the invisibility of men more generally from health policy. Reflecting on the key milestones and challenges associated with transitioning from policy development to implementation, the paper will seek to inform a wider public health debate on the case for targeting men as a specific population group for the strategic planning of health. The case for a NMHP on the grounds of a gender inequity will also be explored in the context of contributing more broadly to gender equality. There will be a particular focus on exploring how strategies associated with governance and accountability, advocacy, research and evaluation, partnerships and capacity-building, have acted as a catalyst and framework for action in the rollout of a broad range of men’s health initiatives. With the central challenge being the translation of cross-departmental and inter-sectoral recommendations into sustainable actions, the role of NMHP in applying a gender lens to other policy areas will also be discussed. Ireland’s NMHP has raised the visibility of men’s health in Ireland; the lessons learned during its implementation provide a strong rationale and blueprint for NMHP development elsewhere.

Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Bill

The proposal to introduce a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill marks a significant development in Ireland’s alcohol policymaking landscape. While the Bill has generated support from public health advocates, it has also raised considerable opposition, particularly from industry. This analysis aims to examine the debate around this Bill using the theoretical framework of critical discourse analysis and applying Carol Bacchi’s What’s the Problem Represented To Be critical mode of analysis. A key objective is to analyze the current prevailing representations of alcohol and its regulation in Ireland but also to consider what they reveal about the underlying governing rationality in relation to alcohol regulation. In particular, it questions whether the Bill signals a shift in the official governing rationality regarding alcohol regulation. The analysis illustrates how alcohol is problematized in markedly different ways in the debates and how such debates are often underpinned by multifaceted elements. Despite such differences, it argues that there are still signs of a neoliberal rhetoric emerging within the public health discourses, raising a question over whether the Bill and its supporting discourses signal a paradigmatic shift or are more indicative of a policy embracing hybrid forms of rule.