eolas magazine issue 46

Informing Ireland’s decision-makers...

Making energy a true catalyst for change SSE’s Stephen Wheeler Housing Minister

Professor

Fine Gael TD

Darragh O’Brien

Deirdre Heenan

Neale Richmond

TD reflects on his

critiques

discusses his

legislative

coherence of

roadmap to Irish

priorities

healthcare

unity

cooperation

issue 46 July 21

Transport

•

Health tech

•

Public affairs

€4.95

2021 Towards a net zero carbon future Early bird ending Friday 30th July 2021

15-16 September 2021 ∙ Croke Park, Dublin Now in its 25th year, Energy Ireland continues to be the major annual event on the Irish energy calendar, attracting influential delegates from across the sector.

Energy Ireland is a two-day, multi-stream conference designed to offer optimal opportunities for focused sessions which maximise discussion and debate. All-island in outlook, the conference seeks to comprehensively examine the latest developments across all components of the Irish energy sector, including: renewables; electricity; gas; energy markets and infrastructure; sustainability; and digital energy.

Key issues to be examined:  Implications of an Irish Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act  European energy policy outlook  Irish energy leaders’ debate:

Speakers include: Eamon Ryan TD Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications William Walsh Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

Electricity; heat; and transport  Future of energy markets  Decarbonising Ireland’s gas network  Heat in Ireland  Offshore wind: The Offshore Renewable Electricity Support

Tanya Harrington Renewable Energy Ireland Stephen Wheeler SSE Cathal Marley Ervia

Scheme  Digital energy  Renewable energy technologies: Solar; green hydrogen; and bioenergy

John FitzGerald Climate Change Advisory Council Jim Gannon Commission for Regulation of Utilities

Dave Kirwan Bord Gáis Energy Alex McLean Arthur Cox Lisa Ryan University College Dublin Brian Ó Gallachoir University College Cork Rory Monaghan NUI Galway Kadri Simson European Commissioner for Energy

Register now online www.energyireland.ie

Contact us on +353 (0)1 661 3755 for further sponsorship and exhibition opportunities Sponsors

Credit: William Murphy

Contents

08

04

Matters arising

06

Issues 06 08

12

12 16

16

20

Round table discussion: The role of local authorities in climate mitigation and adaptation

Hosted by

34

Round table discussion: The future of big data for research and development

Hosted by

20

42

45

34

84

104

124

Irish health information systems landscape WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health Social and ethical values in eHealth Pandemic-driven health tech

Ireland’s EU jobs: Cliff-edge demographics Ireland seeks CAP flexibility

Public affairs 110 112

122

The future of connectivity and mobility post-Covid Fingal County Council: Active travel agenda European cycling superhighways Electric mobility trends Digitalising Europe’s railways All Ireland Strategic Rail Review launched Bidisha Ghosh explores transport 5.0 Irish transport investment priorities

Europe 104 106

108

Sponsored by

Health tech 88 92 100 102

118

Stability Programme Update 2021

Transport 48 60 62 70 74 82 84 86

87

112

Economic Recovery Plan published Cover story: SSE’s Ireland Country Lead Stephen Wheeler discusses COP26 and decarbonisation of the energy sector Deirdre Heenan critiques north/south health cooperation Interview: Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD

118 122 124

Kieran Allen reflects on the centenary of partition QUB’s Marie Coleman chronicles the establishment of the northern state Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond explores Irish unity Political platform: Sinn Féin’s Violet-Anne Wynne TD Back page: Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland

Public Services 2021

Creating high performing, innovative organisations Thursday 14th October ● Dunboyne Castle Hotel, Co. Meath

Since the launch of Our Public Service 2020 in December 2017 there has been some real progress in the key areas of promoting innovation, digitising services and improving the development of people and workforce planning. However, no one could have foreseen that 2020 would have brought one of the biggest challenges ever faced — the coronavirus pandemic. It sharply brought into focus the need for public service organisations to be responsive, resilient and agile. Ireland’s public services responded well and quickly to change the way they work to deliver services and meet the needs of citizens. A number of reforms already in place under the on-going public service reform agenda greatly facilitated the rapid response to the challenges emerging from the pandemic — ‘build-to-share’ ICT infrastructure, the progressive digitalisation of services, a streamlined and centralised Government procurement system, a move to shared-services — as well as centralisation of strategic HR capability.

As we move towards the recovery phase of the pandemic, continuing innovation in our public services is more important now than ever before. Consultation has begun on the successor framework for OPS2020.

Key topics covered:

Speakers include:

3

Final progress report of Our Public Service 2020: Innovating for a post-Covid society;

3 3 3 3 3

The next phase of innovation: Our Public Service 2030?

3 3 3 3

Anticipatory Innovation: Shaping the future

3 3 3 3

All change: planning for the future mobile workforce;

3 3

Sectoral update: health; justice; education; local government;

Focusing on the service user – becoming citizen-centric; The delivery of healthcare in Ireland; Integrating innovation into operational and strategic planning; Exploiting the power of research to mitigate the social impacts of Covid-19;

Building resilience into our public service organisations; Large scale reform of policing in Ireland; Embracing innovation and technology to transform the delivery of services;

Can we make hybrid working a reality?

Educating our children and young people both now and in the future; Looking at the realities of automation and technology enabled solutions;

Best practice case studies.

Sponsored by

Shawna Coxon Deputy Commissioner An Garda Síochána

John McKeon Secretary General Department of Social Protection

Professor Joanna Chataway, UCL and Principal Lead Investigator International Public Policy Observatory

Ann Doherty Chief Executive Cork City Council

Dr Piret Tõnurist Innovation Lead OECD

Shane Mohan Head of Government & Public Services Deloitte

Joe Saunders CEO, Irish Local Development Network

Full programme announced soon

To book a place: By phone

Online

Email

+353 (0)1 661 3755

www.eolasmagazine.ie/event

registration@eolasmagazine.ie

eolas Issue 46 July 2021

Editorial

Time to plan…

Owen McQuade, Managing Editor owen.mcquade@eolasmagazine.ie

June marked the centenary of the opening of the Northern Ireland

Ciarán Galway, Editor ciaran.galway@eolasmagazine.ie

Parliament. However, as the occasion was commemorated in Belfast City Hall, high above on the slopes of Sliabh Dubh in the Belfast Hills, block

David Whelan david.whelan@eolasmagazine.ie

capitals clearly visible from across the city spelled out: Partition has failed.

Fiona McCarthy fiona.mccarthy@eolasmagazine.ie

Just one week before, at Fine Gael’s 80th ard fheis, Leo Varadkar

Odrán Waldron odran.waldron@eolasmagazine.ie

delivered arguably the most republican speech made by a leader of the United Ireland Party in several decades. “I believe in the unification of our

Advertising Sam Tobin sam.tobin@eolasmagazine.ie

island, and I believe it can happen in my lifetime,” he asserted.

June also marked the fifth anniversary of the Brexit referendum; the big

Design

bang moment which sparked the unparalleled momentum now driving

Gareth Duffy, Head of Design gareth.duffy@eolasmagazine.ie

the unity debate. Now, rarely a week passes without a constructive critique of partition. Simultaneously, polling in the Republic consistently

Paul Rooney paul.rooney@eolasmagazine.ie

indicates overwhelming support for reunification, while in the North the opposing margin has narrowed, mirroring a wider demographic

Events Lynda Millar lynda.millar@eolasmagazine.ie

realignment.

As the Tánaiste recently impressed, the unification of Ireland’s people and

Become a subscriber!

geography is a legitimate aspiration and one that is recognised in the

Annual subscriptions: €15.00 + €5.00 P&P

Constitution. A referendum will happen; now is the time to plan for that eventuality.

As recent political developments catalyse change on this island,

Contact: Sharon Morrison Email: subscriptions@eolasmagazine.ie Online: www.eolasmagazine.ie

necessitating a move from ambition to delivery, the decarbonisation of

eolas Magazine

energy sector has the power to do likewise. In our cover story interview,

bmf Business Services

SSE’s

Clifton House Lower Fitzwilliam Street Dublin, D02 XT91

Ireland

Country

Lead

Stephen

Wheeler

emphasises

his

organisation’s role in delivering a cleaner and more sustainable Ireland for future generations.

In addition, this issue of eolas includes a comprehensive transport report,

Tel: 01 661 3755 Web: www.eolasmagazine.ie Twitter: @eolasmagazine

exploring how the Covid-stricken sector can navigate decarbonisation and the digital revolution. Interviewees and contributors include Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD, Professor Deirdre Heenan, historian Marie Coleman, Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond, and Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Ireland Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, among others.

Ciarán Galway

www.eolasmagazine.ie

FSC® is an acronym for the Forest Stewardship Council®, which is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization that was established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. The FSC® system provides an assurance that products such as wood and paper have been harvested in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

The FSC’s Chain of Custody certification provides a way in which the material can be tracked from the certified initial source through the manufacturing process to the end user.

matters arising

Government to sell part of Bank of Ireland shares not be sold below a certain price per share which the Department of Finance will keep under review.

“Today’s announcement marks the start of a phased exit from the State’s remaining investment in Bank of Ireland,” Donohoe said. “When all cashflows are taken into account the taxpayer has already recorded a surplus on its investment in and support for the bank, even before the sales of these shares are accounted for.”

Donohoe would not clarify what share of the 13.9 per cent stockholding the Government would be looking to sell, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD has announced that the Government plans to sell part of its 13.9 per cent shareholding in Bank of Ireland before

the end of 2021. The sale will be managed by Citigroup Global Markets and conducted according to a prearranged trading plan, where shares will

reasoning that to publicly announce the amount of shares for sale would possibly undermine the potential price paid for the for-sale shares.

ESRI: Vaccine hesitancy due to lack of knowledge involved, and whether or not they planned on taking the vaccine. Participants were given a multiple-choice quiz on what they knew about the effectiveness of the vaccine, the development process, sideeffects and whether they would have to pay for it themselves.

Those planning to take the vaccine scored on average 67 per cent, compared with 50 per cent for those who were unsure, and 37 per cent not planning to take it. The study, which was funded by the Department of Health, also found that of those planning to take the Hesitancy around the taking of vaccinations against Covid-19 stems from a lack of knowledge around the benefits of receiving one, a new study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found. Through a survey carried out in January 2021, the ESRI found a clear knowledge gap around the

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benefits of vaccination between those who stated they would take a vaccine if offered one and those who said they would not.

vaccine, 91 per cent cited at least one

Those who participated in the study were asked their thoughts on the vaccine, how much they knew about it, what they saw as the greatest risks and benefits

The research also found that the less

benefit, which compared to 50 per cent of those who were unsure and 5 per cent of those not planning to take the vaccine. people followed news coverage about Covid-19, the less likely they were to want to take the vaccine.

matters arising

Climate Action Bill passes through Dáil authority for the Climate Change Advisory Council, which will oversee the implementation of targets.

Speaking during the debate, Sinn Féin TD Darren O’Rourke expressed disappointment that none of the 231 opposition amendments had been incorporated into the Bill and that Minister for Climate Action and Environment Eamon Ryan TD had not brought forward any of his own amendments based on what he had said at hearings concerning the Bill, a criticism that Ryan rejected, stating that The landmark Climate Action Bill has passed through the Dáil by a majority of 129 votes to 10 after a final four-hour debate, with the legislation now progressing to the Seanad. Despite misgivings that were aired in the course of the debate, all political parties supported the passage of the legislation, with the votes against coming from 10 independent TDs: five Rural Independents, three Regional

Independents and two members of the Independent Group.

the amendments didn’t “strengthen the

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill sets out targets to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, with a reduction of 51 per cent in carbon emissions overall by 2030 compared to 2018 figures; this will require an annual reduction of 7 per cent. The Bill also provides statutory

from farmers before the final debate,

Bill further”. Following demonstrations where they remonstrated that the legislation did not make allowance for methane gas from cattle, Ryan said that climate justice was at the heart of the Bill, and that “no one will be talked down to and no one will be ignored and that applies to farmers”.

Government told St Vincent’s ‘must retain ownership’ of maternity hospital site stating that the prospective lease offered to the State had been lengthened from 99 years to 149 years, Donnelly nonetheless said that his department and the HSE were “pouring over the legals to make sure that the full independence of the maternity hospital is bulletproof, nonetheless, my strong preference is that the State owns the site”.

The St Vincent’s Hospital Group (SVHG) has said that it must retain ownership of the site that the new National Maternity Hospital will be built on, scuppering government plans for full ownership of the site. In a statement, the SVHG, which is owned by the Religious Sisters of Charity, said that it was “more than willing” to meet the Government to discuss the relocation of the hospital

from Holles Street, but added that “for the delivery of integrated patient care on the Elm Park Campus, SVHG must retain ownership of the site”.

The Minister had also said that State ownership of the site would mean that the proposed elaborate governance structures of the new hospital could potentially change. Donnelly told the

The statement will come as a blow to

RTÉ Radio that he would “not be

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly

bringing any recommendation to

TD, who had just days before stated

Government for this hospital if there is

that the preference of the Government

not absolute certainty on the clinical

is for the State to own the site. After

and operational independence of it”.

eolas matters

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issues eolas

Economic Recovery Plan published

The Economic Recovery Plan, published in June 2021 as Ireland’s vaccination programme continued apace, promises to fund the next stage of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and to kickstart a “green and digital job revolution”.

Rapid job creation and economic growth after the pandemic were the two central tenets of the plan that Taoiseach Micheál Martin was keen to stress at its launch in June. With initial funding of €915 million through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, under the European Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the forthcoming revised National Development Plan, the plan pledges to “create a green and digital job revolution” that will see employment levels exceed pre-pandemic levels, with an aim of 2.5 million people employed by 2024.

“We will help people return to work through reskilling and upskilling

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opportunities; drive a renewed innovative economy; and invest in infrastructure, housing and reforms for our longer-term prosperity,” Martin said at the launch.

“Our core objective is to restore, and then go beyond pre-pandemic employment levels. To not just rebuild, but to build back better.”

The four pillars of the Economic Recovery Plan are: ensuring public finances “are sustainable for a lasting recovery”; helping people back into work “by extending labour market supports and through intense activation and reskilling and upskilling opportunities”, driven by Pathways to Work 2021-2025;

rebuilding sustainable enterprises through “targeted supports and polices to make enterprises more resilient and productive”; and a “balanced and inclusive recovery” through strategic investment in infrastructure and reforms that “enhance our long-term capacity for growth, balanced regional development and by improving living standards”.

The key points contained within the plan include: • the extension of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), and the Covid Restrictions

issues eolas

Support Scheme (CRSS), as well as the enhancement of both EWSS and CRSS; • the extension of the Commercial Rates Waiver, new additional Business Resumption Support Scheme, and extension of Tax Debt Warehousing Scheme; • continued supports for worst-affected sectors including aviation, tourism and events, such as the extension of 9 per cent VAT rate for tourism and hospitality sector, supports for live entertainment and events sector, and a roadmap for the aviation sector; • strategic investment that will “drive the digital and green transition, as well as supporting social and economic recovery and job creation”; • “overarching ambition” to exceed precrisis employment levels by reaching 2.5 million people in work by 2024; • “help people back into work, and into new sustainable job opportunities” through “increased activation, and reskilling and upskilling opportunities”; • a pathway to a “strong, resilient

transformation, to which €295 million has been pledged; and social and economic recovery and job creation, to which €181 million has been pledged. The plan states that this approach “will be further reinforced through multi-billion capital investment in the upcoming revised National Development Plan, which has sustainability and regional development at its core, and ambitious housing targets under the forthcoming Housing for All Strategy”.

The Stability Programme Update published in April 2021 forecasts the continuation of “robust” GDP growth, with domestic demand set to rebound strongly, particularly in 2022. The update also stated that the labour market bore the brunt of the pandemic’s impact, with the unemployment rate projected to average 16.25 per cent this year before declining to 8.25 per cent next year. The level of employment is projected to increase next year, but to remain below its pre-crisis peak until 2023.

After a 5 per cent deficit of GDP last year, a further deficit of 4.7 per cent is predicted for 2021, with a resulting increase in public debt to an estimated

“Our core objective is to restore, and then go beyond pre-pandemic employment levels. To not just rebuild, but to build back better.”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin economy”, aligned with the government’s green and digital ambitions; • learn lessons from the pandemic by “building a balanced and inclusive recovery, which leverages new ways of working”, and by improving labour market supports and living standards; and • ensuring sustainable public finances for a lasting recovery.

Working with the initial €915 million of funding to be provided through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, projects will be grouped into three priority groupings: advancing the green transition, to which €503 million has been pledged; accelerating and expanding digital reforms and

€239 billion this year, or 112 per cent of GNI*. The update forecasts an improvement to 2.8 per cent of GDP, with the debt ratio falling to 107 per cent of GNI*.

The impact of the pandemic has been “unequal” in terms of the labour market, the plan says. The sector with the highest number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is accommodation and food service activities, followed by wholesale and retail. The effect was also unequal in terms of ages of those affected, with 25 per cent of those on PUP in April 2021 under 25, and a total of 47 per cent under 34.

The plan states that, in building for the recovery of the economy, “it must be recognised that not all previous jobs will

return” and that “capacity constraints may emerge very quickly in certain areas, especially given the scale of investment required in areas like housing and decarbonisation”.

Along with the extension of the welfare programmes as mentioned above, the plan will utilise the Pathways to Work Strategy 2021-2025 as a means of recovering employment levels. The strategy has “an overall target of increasing the caseload of the Public Employment Service by 100,000 per annum and will use digital tools to increase outreach and speed”. A new Work Placement Experience Programme, to reach 10,000 participants by the end of 2022, an accelerated rollout of the 50,000 education and training places to support upskilling and reskilling for the labour market, and an additional 3,000 places on State Employment Schemes will also support the attempts to rebuild the labour force.

On top of the initial €915 million in funding, the plan also makes mention of Ireland’s share of the EU’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve, where “Ireland’s proposed allocation represents just over 20 per cent of the overall fund, or just over €1 billion”. It is stated that “relevant areas for support will include enterprise supports; supports for the agri-food sector; fisheries; reskilling and retraining; and infrastructure for the ports and airport”.

The funding under the revised National Development Plan will set out revised sectoral capital allocations for the upcoming 10-year period out to 2030, and will “support a strong regional aspect to infrastructure investment, generating local employment and improving the capability and capacity for economic activity to take place throughout all the regions”.

“This Economic Recovery Plan will kickstart a jobs-led recovery and propel the economy forward to a more sustainable, digital and secure future,” Taoiseach Martin said upon its launch, hailing it as the way forward for the Irish economy and labour market. “The renewed supports, investments and policies set out in this plan will position us firmly on this pathway.”

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cover story

Making energy a true catalyst for change Ciarán Galway speaks with SSE’s Ireland Country Lead Stephen Wheeler about the company’s principal partnership with COP26, decarbonisation of the energy sector and Ireland’s role in the context of scaled-up climate action ambitions.

At the UN’s COP26 summit, which will be held in November 2021, heads of state, climate experts and climate action champions will come together in Glasgow with the intention of accelerating Paris Climate Agreement targets, establishing a global pathway to net zero carbon emissions, and preventing an increase in global temperatures of more than 1.5°C. In seeking to apply its expertise and commitment to the fight against climate

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change, SSE will be a principal partner for COP26. “It makes sense for many reasons,” says Wheeler, adding: “First and foremost, SSE’s partnership with COP26 has come at a crucial time as we look to transition towards a greener society. At SSE, we believe that COP26 can be a real lightning rod for action, with governments and stakeholders from around the world coming together and moving from ambition towards delivery.

a leading energy company in a net zero

“This is conducive to our vision of being

of climate change; it’s omnipresent.”

world. We are passionate about the bold action required to address climate change.”

Quoting former US President Barack Obama, he asserts: “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it. You only have to look around the world to see the effects

cover story

COP26: Anticipated developments Through its partnership, SSE will seek to help deliver a successful COP and there are several significant developments it would like to emerge from the summit.

Commenting on the new US administration’s commitment to halve emissions by 2030 and China’s ambition to attain carbon neutrality by 2060 as encouraging progress, Wheeler outlines SSE’s aspirations for COP26: “First and foremost, we want to see global action to decarbonise energy. This is a societal problem, right across the world, and we want to see lasting commitment to effective climate targets.

“Secondly, we want to see real leadership to turn these targets into action. In Ireland, the recent Climate Action Bill is among the most ambitious in the world, and, to its credit, I think the Government has demonstrated leadership on setting out where we need to get to. We need to see that same ambition at an international level, and crucially, we need to start delivering the projects and infrastructure that will see us reach our targets.

“Thirdly, we are very aware of the differing impacts on communities and individuals across the globe and so we want to push for a framework on a just transition. This is about having a clear understanding of the social impacts of this transition, ensuring no one is left behind by creating and protecting highly skilled jobs and maximising the impact of green investments, like offshore wind farms, in our communities.

“Finally, we want to galvanise society around the importance of climate action.

We see ourselves as leaders in this regard and as such, we have an obligation to bring people with us, both young and old, to help tackle the biggest challenge of our lifetime. We want to be a vehicle for the delivery of a greener society, inspiring others of the benefits and necessity of this transition.”

Opportunities for Ireland From a national perspective, Wheeler suggests there is a clear opportunity for Ireland to demonstrate its ambition on a global stage.

“COP26 can be a real lightning rod for action, with governments and stakeholders around the world coming together and moving from ambition towards delivery.”

“It’s a huge opportunity for Ireland to take a leadership position, building on our achievements to date. For example, the volume of electricity produced from onshore wind in Ireland is second only to Denmark. We have done an incredible job on that front, but it’s a massive step up to decarbonise all sectors of society to achieve net zero by 2050. SSE is going to work very closely with government to support ‘Ireland Inc’ in delivering that,” he says.

COP26 will take place at an important time for Ireland. With its ambition to halve carbon emissions by 2030, the publication and progress of the Climate Action Bill simultaneously represents a significant challenge and opportunity.

“The Climate Action Bill solidifies what we already knew: while climate action represents a huge challenge, with the right policies and investments we can build a cleaner, stronger and more

sustainable economy for the future. This is about society as a whole working together to unlock the solutions needed to halve our carbon emissions in this decade, deliver 70 per cent of electricity from renewables and ultimately transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest.”

Discussing the optimism unlocked by the progress of the Climate Action Bill, Wheeler indicates that action must now follow.

“Moving towards a more sustainable society is a win-win scenario for our economy and our environment. As we recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, we need to get people back to work. By creating highly skilled jobs right across the country and by delivering the promise of a greener society and the investment that comes with that, Ireland can really benefit.

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wind by 2030. Here in Ireland, there is a target of 5GW by 2030, with 1GW delivered by 2025, and Arklow Bank is well positioned to make a substantial contribution to that ambition.

“We are 100 per cent ready to deliver the offshore wind needed to help hit Ireland’s annual 7 per cent carbon reduction target. Beyond Arklow in the near term, we have medium term projects including Braymore Wind Park in the north Irish Sea alongside the Celtic Sea Array off our south coast, both of which are in the early stages of development and can contribute to phase two of Ireland’s offshore rollout plans. With the right policies and momentum, these projects could also be completed by 2030, and together with Arklow Bank could be contributing over 2GW of installed offshore capacity to the 5GW target,” Wheeler says.

“We have a responsibility to lead the way in creating a cleaner, more sustainable society for generations to come.”

Onshore wind

“In SSE, we believe we can create thousands of jobs throughout the country through the delivery of the lowcarbon infrastructure and services needed, and we look forward to working with government, industry partners, and our customers, to bring these projects to life.”

“We were delighted to see Lenalea Wind Farm, which is a co-development with Coillte, secure a RESS contract in 2020 and recently enter construction. It is a fantastic example of a project that we have worked with a partner to develop, alongside local communities, to ensure that it will have a long-lasting legacy in Donegal. It marks the beginning of the next phase of our plans for onshore wind; we will continue to work with partners in building world-leading projects.

Offshore wind Re-emphasising his observation that Ireland has done a phenomenal job in terms of onshore wind, Wheeler recognises that the challenge now is to deliver 70 per cent of Ireland’s electricity from renewable sources. In achieving this, offshore wind will play a crucial role.

“Offshore wind will be the heavy lifter.

We have an incredible opportunity in our wind resource given that Ireland’s marine territory is an area 10 times the size of its land mass. No other company in the world is building more offshore wind energy than SSE is right now. This includes our 3.6GW Dogger Bank project in the UK, which as well as

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being the world’s largest wind farm, is also supporting almost 3,000 new green jobs, with more to come. SSE has been leading the charge for some years now to unlock the oceans of opportunity that offshore wind energy represents for Ireland, and it’s great to see other global players and investors now beginning to take interest in the Irish market. This is helping to drive the offshore ambition we all have forward,” he remarks.

Overall, SSE has plans to deliver 2GW of offshore wind energy in the Irish Sea and Celtic Sea by 2030 from a number of projects, the foremost of which is the next phase of the 520MW Arklow Bank Wind Park. “Arklow Bank is in a prime position to be delivered by the middle of this decade, producing power by 2025.

That would make a huge difference to Ireland’s nascent offshore wind industry.

It’s time to move beyond the vision and start installing turbines in the seabed that are producing power off Ireland’s coast,” Wheeler insists. Commenting on the UK’s incredible offshore journey over the last 15 years, he highlights that it now aims to deliver 40GW of offshore

Until now, onshore wind has been the major success story for Ireland and SSE remains the largest onshore wind operator on the island. Wheeler states that there is no doubt that onshore wind will continue to grow.

“In order to ensure onshore wind continues to develop, we need to see sensitively balanced planning guidelines, particularly on issues such as noise. At the same time, we fully understand the requirement to work with, and as part of, communities. That is why it is so important that we fully engage during the planning, construction, and operations stages of onshore wind delivery to ensure that our wind farms are integrated into local communities. We have been involved in numerous projects across the country, investing over €12.5 million in local

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community funds and this is something that SSE is very proud of,” he says.

Energy efficiency Beyond renewable generation, SSE has over 700,000 domestic and commercial customers on the island of Ireland, across both electricity and natural gas.

In its efforts to encourage a societal move towards a greener economy, SSE is utilising its energy services business to help its domestic customers make their homes more efficient and ultimately use less energy.

“The overall challenge is not going to be solved by individuals or corporates alone,” Wheeler notes, adding: “It is a society-wide problem that will be resolved by everyone working together.

As an energy provider, we have a clear obligation to work with our customers to reduce the carbon footprint of homes and businesses across Ireland. In the last 12 months, through our retail business SSE Airtricity, we have launched our partnership with An Post whereby we take a holistic view of energy efficiency upgrades, from planning, to helping customers secure finance, right through to the completion of the work. We undertake a complete project management role to take the hassle out of retrofit for homeowners.

“Likewise, through our partnership with Activ8 Solar Energies, SSE is assisting our customers in installing solar panels on their roofs, enabling them to produce their own power from a renewable source and make a direct contribution to the transition to a green economy.”

Thermal energy generation Wheeler is also cognisant of the need to decarbonise conventional power generation as part of the transition to a

“It’s time to move beyond the vision of offshore wind and start installing turbines in the seabed that are producing power off Ireland’s coast.” net zero carbon future. “When you consider electricity production, thermal power generation is the biggest emitter.

However, flexible thermal generation is critical to backing up renewables and maintaining security of supply, particularly during periods when the wind isn’t blowing, and the sun isn’t shining.

customer service perspective, it wants

“In seeking to decarbonise our thermal generation, SSE is at the forefront of opportunities in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage [CCS] solutions in the UK. While at an early stage, we are encouraged that similar discussions are now getting underway in Ireland to examine how flexible thermal energy can support a renewables-led energy system. We have a lot of experience in this area that we have gained over the last decade in the UK and it’s something we look forward to delivering in Ireland to enable the net zero transition in the years ahead.”

be true catalysts in the overall shift to

Ambition

leaders in the energy industry, is clear.

Outlining SSE’s overall ambition, Wheeler states that the energy company intends to be a “catalyst for the change to a greener society”. This means that SSE wants to continue to be the leader in onshore wind and to become the leader in the emerging offshore wind industry in Ireland. Likewise, from a

in creating a cleaner, more sustainable

to continue to deliver its outstanding offering, helping customers to make the changes that are required to move towards a more sustainable world.

“Looking ahead 10 years, our ambition is to continue to lead the way in the decarbonisation of energy, but also to cleaner, more sustainable society.

“As we emerge from the Covid crisis, we face the biggest challenge of our generation. The good news is that taking action on climate change is a win-win. By delivering green investment, getting people back to work, and creating highly skilled jobs across the country, there is real opportunity to build an economy that will be stronger in the long-term.

“I believe our role in SSE, and as We have a responsibility to lead the way society for generations to come. As we approach the critical COP26 summit later this year, this is what we should all be aiming for and I’m confident that, working together, we can deliver on this challenge,” he concludes.

Profile: Stephen Wheeler Stephen Wheeler is Country Lead for SSE plc in Ireland, as well as Managing Director of SSE’s Thermal division across the UK and Ireland. Stephen was previously Managing Director of SSE Ireland and prior to this, General Manager (Ireland) of SSE Renewables. Before joining SSE, he spent over 10 years working with ABB and Siemens internationally. Stephen is a graduate of electrical engineering at University College Dublin, with an MBA from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, and a past Chairman of Wind Energy Ireland (formerly IWEA).

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Cross-border health cooperation ‘natural’ and ‘logical’

With few exceptions, cross-border health collaboration has been “minimalist and often project specific”, says Ulster University’s Deirdre Heenan, who argues that Covid-19 cooperation has not extended beyond “window dressing”.

From the earliest days of Covid-19 in Ireland, the absence of an all-island approach to dealing with this global emergency has been identified as a critical issue. We share a single island, are one epidemiological unit, and therefore cross border cooperation is not only natural, it’s logical.

Throughout the last year, it has been asserted ad nauseam that ‘this virus doesn’t respect borders’ and ‘the disease does not discriminate’, but has this led to significant policy action? Despite the broad acceptance that thinking in terms of narrow political allegiances or identities would only prolong this crisis and deepen the impact on every community, to date collaboration has been extremely limited.

Both governments have continued to plough their own furrow with little more

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than lip service paid to working collectively to fight this common scourge.

In March 2020, former First Minister Arlene Foster slammed the Taoiseach for lack of cooperation with Stormont over Coronavirus. She claimed that he did not brief the Northern Executive before announcing school closures and Belfast officials learnt of the new regulations through the media. The Irish Government pointed the finger of blame at the Executive, suggesting some were more interested in slavishly replicating Westminster policy, rather than developing a bespoke all-island response.

In April 2020, the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the North and the South was broadly welcomed and viewed as a significant step in the right direction. In

the face of this existential threat, it appeared that constitutional politics would rightly play second fiddle to public health considerations. The MoU acknowledged a compelling case for strong cooperation, including information-sharing and, where appropriate, a common approach, but at best it has made a marginal difference.

Practically, it has translated to regular Zoom calls between the Chief Medical Officers and some sharing of data.

Window dressing and a far cry from the integrated, single-epidemiological coherent response to Foot and Mouth Disease (affecting livestock). Substantial differences in regulations, restrictions, data analysis and messaging pose practical challenges, cause confusion and are completely illogical on an island the size of Ireland.

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The debate on the divergent responses to Coronavirus, coupled with the spectre of a border poll has pushed comparisons between the two healthcare systems into the spotlight. Prevailing wisdom in the North suggests that the health and social care system here is superior to the South’s HSE, but the reality is much more layered and complex.

Significantly though, the ability to make robust comparisons about health outcomes across the island is fraught with difficulties. Providing healthcare services commands one of the largest allocations of public funding on both sides of the Irish border and there are persistent concerns over the efficiency and effectiveness of these systems.

Theoretically, closer cooperation could deliver economies of scale, value for money, opportunities for clinical specialisation and facilitate the sharing of knowledge. Over the past two decades health has been identified as a key area for increased cross-border working.

To date though, with the notable exceptions of the All-Island Congenital Heart Disease Network and the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin, the approach has been minimalist and often project specific. Joint EU membership enabled cross-border healthcare activity in Ireland. Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT) was established in 1992, its mission ‘to improve the health and wellbeing of the border populations by working across boundaries and jurisdictions’. Through this vehicle significant work has been done to

The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) established under the Good Friday Agreement agreed six formal areas of cooperation, for which common policies and approaches are agreed but implemented separately in each jurisdiction, including in health and accidents and planning for major

Waiting lists are currently 100 times that of England and this is a useful deflection.

The regular and repeated calls for further collaboration and cooperation have not been accompanied by any detailed plans, cost-benefit analysis, feasibility studies or robust data to support an all-island approach.

“Both governments have continued to plough their own furrow with little more than lip service paid to working collectively to fight this common scourge.” emergencies. In response to the health emergency, the 24th plenary meeting NSMC was held in July 2020, the first since before the collapse of Stormont power-sharing in 2016. It gave a commitment to do ‘everything possible’ in coordination and collaboration to tackle the virus. It was agreed that an early meeting of the health sectoral group would be convened to review responses to the pandemic. At its meeting on 2 October, 2020, the sectoral group agreed to review its existing health work programme. No time frame nor objectives were agreed for this review.

The Health Minister is legally required to provide a statement to the Assembly on this meeting, to update on progress and allow for scrutiny. To date no statement has been presented, nor is one scheduled in the Assembly business timetable. If this is how a priority is treated, one wonders how the Government treats things that it doesn’t

Meaningful change in the all-island health agenda will not happen without a major policy imperative. There is an absence of any agreed strategic framework for health and social care systems to underpin cross-border cooperation, a situation exacerbated by the apparent lack of political will, north and south, to commit to all-island cooperation on an agreed plan of work.

Currently, there is a complete lack of momentum in this policy area. The pandemic has raised difficult questions about the extent to which both governments have lived up to commitments to developing cooperation across the island.

The new €500 million Shared Island Unit provides a unique opportunity to address the long-standing issues around cooperation in health and reflect on the Covid-19 response. A comprehensive

“The regular and repeated calls for further collaboration and cooperation have not been accompanied by any detailed plans, cost-benefit analysis, feasibility studies or robust data to support an all-island approach.”

programme of research and development could provide the evidence to identify interventions that would be to the ultimate benefit of all of the citizens on this island.

Given the similar social, economic and political pressures faced by both health care systems coupled with a pandemic

enhance cross-border collaboration in health service delivery. Indisputable benefits have been achieved, providing access to services for communities within the border region, largely on a south-tonorth basis. However, in most instances in these initiatives funding has been timelimited, and services have not been mainstreamed.

view as important.

Recently, the deputy First Minister,

that has steamrolled the country, it is an opportunity that we can ill afford to miss.

Michelle O’Neill, suggested that ramping up cross-border health provision could help to reduce Northern Ireland’s “dire” waiting lists. Whilst there can be no dispute that they are dire, this is empty

Deirdre Heenan is a Professor of Social Policy at Ulster University and Senior Associate at London’s Nuffield Trust.

rhetoric.

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Health research at the forefront of Ireland’s response to Covid-19 projects investigate long-term health and societal aspects of Covid-19, such as mental health or patient risk factors.

Such long-term solutions will be crucial as we continue to live with the virus and begin to re-open society.

Leveraging our clinical research infrastructure for Covid-19 trials

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Ever since the coronavirus pandemic arrived on our shores over a year ago, the health research community has been at the vanguard of combating this crisis — whether working to find treatments and vaccines, alleviate the toll on our healthcare system, or address the broader societal challenges of living with the virus. For the Health Research Board (HRB), supporting Ireland’s response to the pandemic quickly became a top priority, writes Mairéad O’Driscoll, Chief Executive at the HRB. Our team has been active on multiple fronts to enable leading-edge Irish research on Covid-19, deliver up-to-theminute evidence to inform decisionmaking, and shape a responsive research environment that can rapidly adapt to new challenges.

over decades meant we were in a position to pivot quickly and address the challenges of Covid-19. In March 2020, we launched a rapid response call in collaboration with Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) for research proposals to tackle the Covid-19 crisis in Ireland.

Pivoting funding for a rapid response

The HRB has invested in a total of 36 projects at a cost of approximately €5.5 million over the period between 2020 and 2022 to tackle the crisis from a wide range of angles. In addition to research that will benefit the health and wellbeing of patients, families, healthcare workers and the healthcare system, many of the

As the lead funding agency for health research in Ireland, the HRB has been driving the Irish research response to the pandemic since early 2020. Worldclass funding approaches embedded

A resource that has proved invaluable in our response to Covid-19 has been the clinical research infrastructure supported by the HRB over many years, with an investment of over €160 million since 2007. This allowed us to quickly mobilise support for Ireland’s involvement in two global clinical trials of potential treatments for Covid-19. In April 2020, we supported the launch of the REMAPCOVID trial under the EU REMAP-CAP platform, which is testing interventions for Covid-19 in critically ill patients in Irish hospitals and sharing findings internationally. And in collaboration with the Department of Health and health research partners, the HRB facilitated Ireland’s participation in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Solidarity trial, the largest trial to date of treatments repurposed for use in the pandemic. Both REMAP and Solidarity have already produced valuable findings on the effectiveness of interventions for patients’ recovery and survival — findings which are now informing treatment of Covid-19 around the world.

Upholding robust ethical standards in times of crisis Throughout this response to the pandemic, ethical considerations continue to take highest priority for Irish researchers. Reflecting our commitment to strengthen the national research ethics system in Ireland, the HRB supported the establishment of the first National Research Ethics Committee (NREC) at the request of the Minister for

Health, to provide rapid review of the ethics underpinning Covid-19 research projects. The Committee was supported by the National Office for Research Ethics Committees, a recently established independent unit in the HRB. From April to August 2020, NREC Covid-19 reviewed 93 applications from 61 institutions across 20 counties — accelerating the ethical approval of urgent studies around Covid-19.

Delivering the right evidence at the right time In addition to addressing the crisis through research funding and infrastructure investment, the HRB has also contributed as a provider of trusted evidence in support of policymaking.

Since the onset of the pandemic, government and public health leaders have sought rapid, scientifically sound information to guide their actions in an ever-changing environment. The teams at our HRB Evidence Centre, the National Drugs Library and Evidence Synthesis Ireland have answered this call by supporting the generation, updating and knowledge translation of evidence briefs, rapid reviews, systematic reviews, and WHO guidelines for the Irish Government. Our evidence products have helped inform decision-making as the pandemic has unfolded, delivering data in response to requests from the Department of Health within 24–48 hours.

Driving broader advances in health research

HRB launched a mechanism in March 2021 to facilitate secure use of this data for research purposes. Ensuring stringent safeguards to protect patient and public rights, an independent Research Data Governance Board (RDGB) is responsible for reviewing researcher applications to access the data, with the HRB providing the Secretariat in support of this work. By enabling new data-driven research, this initiative can advance understanding of Covid-19, while informing future healthcare policy.

Another leap forward has been in the area of biobanking, with the HRB playing a central role in the establishment of a national Covid-19 biobank in collaboration with the Department of Health and other stakeholders. The aim is to create a prospective, disease-based biobank of Covid-19 samples and associated data, providing a resource for research studies to inform clinical care, vaccination, and booster strategies, and increasing the knowledge base for tackling future pandemics — while ensuring robust governance in line with best international practices, and full legal and ethical compliance. Biobanks and biobanking research play an increasingly important role in healthcare research and delivery as health systems become more patient-centred, and medicine becomes more personalised. This Covid-19 Biobank is a critical first step in supporting biorepository studies and data linkages as set out in the Resilience and Recovery 2020–2021 Plan.

“A resource that has proved invaluable in our response to Covid-19 has been the clinical research infrastructure supported by the HRB over many years, with an investment of over €160 million since 2007.”

Providing trusted information At a time when public trust in health research is more essential than ever, tackling Covid-19 misinformation has also been a top priority. In March 2020, the HRB supported the establishment of iHealthFacts, an online resource led by NUIG that enables the public to easily check the reliability of health claims. And with public trust crucial to the successful rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the coming months, we have partnered with the Royal Irish Academy on ‘Vaccine Questions’, a series of podcasts featuring experts and scientists from around Ireland — putting listener questions to the expert guests to provide a reliable source of information on vaccines.

Investing in our future This response to the Covid-19 crisis has served to reinforce our firm conviction at the HRB that funding for health research is not a cost, but an investment — an investment in our future as a society here in Ireland. The pandemic has been a stark reminder of how vital research is to improve treatments, support our healthcare system and inform decision making. And we have clearly seen how a well-functioning health and research system is essential to the functioning of our economy more broadly. In short, the quality of our health research system will remain essential for the wellbeing of our society, today and in the future.

For more information on the HRB’s response to Covid-19, please contact Gillian Markey, Communications Manager.

E: gmarkey@hrb.ie W: www.hrb.ie

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The pandemic has also proved a catalyst to drive forward advances in the Irish health research environment that can have a lasting impact. One such advance relates to the optimal use of health data for research — a key priority for the HRB. Since April 2020, a wealth of data on Covid-19 has been collected by the Health Service Executive (HSE), maintained within the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Covid-19 Data Research Hub. In collaboration with the Department of Health and the CSO, the

One of 36 projects funded by the HRB and IRC under the National Rapid Response Research and Innovation call.

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Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD: “A matter of moral urgency” Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD published his Affordable Housing Bill with Cabinet approval on 4 May 2021, as news broke that a global investment company had block purchased most of a new housing development in Maynooth. The result was an instantaneous revival of intense media and public scrutiny of the ongoing housing crisis.

Speaking with Ciarán Galway, the Minister discusses his legislative priorities, first time buyers and ambition.

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To what extent have successive governments failed ‘generation rent’ and ‘generation stuck at home’?

home at the very heart of housing policy.

This Government have put delivery,

time buyer by almost a decade to 35

affordability and the chance to own your

years of age. Ireland has dropped from a

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But it’s clear we have an ongoing affordability crisis. It has reduced home ownership rates to historic lows. It has increased the age of the average first

world leader to below the EU average rate of home ownership. A generation is caught in an unaffordable rent trap, and as Housing Minister I’m committed to finding genuine solutions to help those people.

There are five main aspects to the

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Affordable Housing Bill 2021 including the first direct build affordable housing programme by our local authorities in over a decade, a new form of cost rental tenure, a targeted and time-bound shared equity scheme, an increase in the Part V provision from 10 per cent social to a flat 20 per cent social and affordable with a minimum 10 per cent social housing and the provision of an owner occupier guarantee which will allow local authorities to designate a certain percentage of houses and duplexes for individual buyers.

I believe the rent pressure zones (RPZs), introduced in 2016, which had a cap of 4 per cent on rent increases, became a target for some instead, these RPZs expire at the end of 2021 and I am working with my department on options for their replacement as part of an overall rent reform Bill which will be brought forward in the autumn.

The new cost rental model, which will deliver 440 homes this year and which we hope to significantly scale up in the coming years, will also mark a step change in the rental market. It’s a model where the tenant pays the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes only. It will be long-term secure tenure.

What has this government delivered in the housing brief in the last 11 months?

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, government has been focused on progressing major reforms that will accelerate and increase the supply of housing — public, affordable and private. Boosting supply is key to resolving so many of our housing challenges, whether it’s helping those experiencing homelessness into a

permanent home, reducing the numbers on our social housing waiting lists, or addressing our affordability crisis.

Immediately following my appointment in June last year, I convened two top level groups to focus on urgent actions around homelessness and social and affordable housing delivery. These groups consist of high-level officials, and key stakeholders across homeless charities, approved housing bodies, the Housing Agency and local government.

Through these groups, we are trying to accelerate successful exits from homelessness, keep delivery at the highest pace possible, work through any blockages, and understand and address challenges arising from Covid-19.

Acknowledging that Covid-19 does present a massive challenge to delivery, in July 2020 we announced €40 million in funding as part of the Government’s stimulus programme for the refurbishment of 2,500 vacant social homes, which would be completed and allocated in 2020. This target was exceeded with 2,565 vacant social homes brought back into use across all our local authorities as a result of the voids stimulus. In total 3,607 vacant social homes were brought back into use nationally. Just recently (Friday 21 May 2021), we announced another voids programme with another 3,000 vacant social homes to be brought back into use this year.

We’ve also taken a number of practical steps to speed up delivery, revising the single stage approval process for capital expenditure on social housing construction projects up to €6 million; a key commitment in the Programme for Government which means that local authorities will have greater autonomy in constructing social housing, leading to accelerated delivery.

“A generation is caught in an unaffordable rent trap, and as Housing Minister I’m committed to finding genuine solutions to help those people.”

We increased the threshold on the Repair and Lease scheme from €40,000 to a maximum of €60,000 to assist in bringing vacant properties back into use for social housing purposes and we have substantially increased funding for Irish Water which will help to unlock capacity for housing and development.

In the past year, I have introduced four separate pieces of rent protection legislation, providing protections to those who need them most while the pandemic continues, and we are currently working on a rent reform bill to be brought forward in the autumn.

Cost rental, a model which has been talked about for a number of years, will see its first tenancies delivered this year, and will be delivered at scale in the coming years. So, government has clearly sent a message to those who are renting that we do acknowledge the uncertainty that it brings and that we are working to make it a secure form of tenure for those who want it.

On homelessness we have made some progress but the situation remains challenging. Family homelessness is now at its lowest level since March 2016 and, thankfully, there has been an 80 per cent decrease in the numbers of families accommodated in hotels. But we need to keep doing all we can to support all those who are experiencing homelessness and we absolutely need to drive down the numbers experiencing homelessness, in particular in the numbers of single adults.

Earlier this year, government announced a total of €1.3 billion in Urban Regeneration and Development Funding (URDF). At its core this fund aims to deliver more compact and sustainable development ensuring our urban areas become attractive and vibrant places in which to live, work, visit and invest.

Since taking office, government has made the Affordable Housing Bill and the Land Development Agency Bill legislative priorities. Combined, these two Bills will work together to give people the opportunity of ownership. They are landmark pieces of legislation and are backed up by the largest housing budget in the history of the State. The Government has made a commitment that everybody should have access to good-quality housing to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high

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standard, and located close to essential services, offering a high quality of life. I’m focused on bringing measures in that are going to help us achieve that goal. There is no silver bullet, and we cannot fix our housing crisis overnight. But I’m confident that at that we’re going in the right direction.

What are the objectives of the Affordable Housing Bill 2021?

The Affordable Housing Bill 2021 puts affordability back at the heart of the housing system and will reshape delivery of housing in Ireland. The Bill now has five key elements. It will provide for the first local authority-led, direct build affordable homes on State lands in more than a decade and our first ever national cost rental scheme. It also includes an innovative shared equity scheme and an expansion of Part V to help first time buyers.

The rollout of local authority-led, direct build affordable housing will be the central plank of the Government's affordable housing plan. Units will range from €160,000 to €310,000 and the upcoming Housing for All plan, which will be published this summer, will set out the ambitious range of targets throughout the State over the coming years.

Cost Rental has been much spoken about, but the Affordable Housing Bill finally puts this new and much needed tenure type on a firm legislative footing.

This will help us deliver cost rental homes in the short term — we’ll see the first tenancies later this year — and into the future as we develop a more sustainable, affordable, high quality rental sector.

The conversation around the Affordable Housing Bill has at times zeroed in on the shared equity scheme. I welcome discussion, any scheme worth its salt has to stand up to scrutiny and take on board constructive suggestions but it will be a targeted, short-term measure designed to help people buy homes this year and boost housing supply.

There are inactivated planning permissions for over 40,000 units in Dublin alone and 80,000 nationally — we need these permissions to be activated.

To directly address the concerns raised around potential price inflation we have put in place regional price caps. These are price caps, not targets, they are the upper limit at which a person can avail of the scheme. They are based on evidence from the CSO median house price data and provide for a range of house types within them to reflect market demand.

Ultimately, they help to capture as many new units as possible while mitigating against any inflationary effect.

To put the scheme in context, it has been allocated €75 million, or 2.3 per cent of our €3.3 billion housing budget or 0.68 per cent of the overall €11 billion mortgage market. It is based on equity

“Since taking office, government has made the Affordable Housing Bill and the Land Development Agency Bill legislative priorities.

Combined these two Bills will work together to give people the opportunity of ownership.”

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not debt with no obligation to buy it out so it is not a second mortgage and the macro prudential rules are fully protected.

We are continuing to engage with the Central Bank on the scheme but I am confident it will offer those people who want to buy their own home this year a chance to do so.

The decision to increase the Part V provision to 20 per cent — with 10 per cent social and 10 per cent affordable — repeals the 2015 decision to reduce Part V and further strengthens it by applying it across every local authority. In real terms, this will result in an additional 3,500 affordable units per annum when fully operational.

Finally, the owner occupier guarantee which government has agreed to introduce, will allow local authorities designate a set amount of homes and duplexes (up to 50 per cent) for individual buyers into the future. Each of these measures demonstrate clearly that this government supports home ownership and wants to make it a reality.

Given the structural challenges which exist within the Irish housing market, what impact will the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Loan Scheme have?

The new Affordable Purchase Equity Scheme will be targeted, time and

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finance limited, and subject to regional price caps in order to immediately activate supply, counter any inflation risk and unlock realisable demand. It will be targeted at first time buyers who are seeking to buy a new home, but who cannot quite secure the full mortgage amount to do so at the present time. It will immediately help up to 2,000 potential owners this year.

The scheme will allow people who are currently paying more in rent than a mortgage would cost, to buy their first home. It’s the difference between them continuing to pay rent while trying to save every other cent over the next few years, and being able to purchase a home and pay down a mortgage this year. Again, to put the scheme in context, it has been allocated €75 million, or 2.3 per cent of our €3.3 billion housing budget or 0.68 per cent of the overall €11 billion mortgage market. Taken in tandem with the other measures in the Affordable Housing Bill it will incentivise new builds for new buyers in right places at right price points.

How will the Land Development Agency Bill 2021, coupled with the Affordable Housing Bill 2021 change how the LDA operates?

The LDA is a historic new agency and it will be a driving force to deliver affordable homes at scale and ensure we don’t let State lands lie idle in the middle of an emergency. The LDA has the potential to be a game changer in making sure we use every acre of land owned by the State effectively. It will assess all State land in our large towns and cities and where it’s needed, develop them for social and affordable housing.

House prices and cost rents will be set at an affordable level by geographic area by the Minister for Housing through regulations. This allows for local flexibility rather than a single rigid approach. The Bill, currently progressing in the Oireachtas, places the Agency on a statutory footing with legally set core goals of affordability and strategic land management. The Agency is already working on developing nine sites with local authorities on over 3,000 new homes. As I said earlier, increasing housing supply is a key objective for the

“There is a lot more involved in this crisis than just the future of a single political party or government. Getting to grips with the challenge is a matter of moral urgency and civic duty.”

Government and the LDA will play a key role in this regard.

How do you intend to “level the playing field” for first time buyers?

In the immediate term, I want to see the Affordable Housing Bill and the LDA Bill enacted swiftly so that people can reach their goal of home ownership this year.

The Government has also committed to establishing a Commission on Housing

The Government is taking firm action to protect traditional family homes from bulk purchases while maintaining investment where it is needed. This will be done through an immediate stamp duty hike which was introduced by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe TD and longer-term planning permission changes made by my department.

and this forum will examine a range of

We have already issued new planning guidelines by way of a departmental circular under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to require local authorities and An Bord Pleanála to prohibit bulk buying of houses and duplexes and we will be making an amendment to the Affordable Housing Bill to include the “owner occupier guarantee” allowing local authorities designate a set amount of homes and duplexes (up to 50 per cent) for individual buyers into the future.

hope to have this Commission

These actions were taken swiftly in response to the very understandable frustration and anger at investment funds buying homes and crowding first time buyers out of the market. But these measures alone are not a silver bullet.

They complement other government supports like direct build of affordable homes by local authorities, the expanded Help to Buy scheme and the new shared equity scheme to help level the playing field for first time buyers and turn generation rent into a generation that can own their home.

What do you hope to achieve over the next 12 months in your remit as Housing Minister?

issues from tenures and standards to the quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing.

We have been clear that we will use every tool in our armoury to tackle our housing crisis and this involves harnessing the expertise and experiences of others — I established shortly.

I also want us to continue to drive down homeless numbers. In 2020 alone, almost 5,900 such exits from homelessness have been achieved. All these exits were to homes with tenancies. This work must continue in earnest. We are working on expanding the Housing First initiative, which provides homeless people with high support needs with housing and the wraparound supports required to maintain their tenancy. There are now over 500 active Housing First tenancies nationwide, and the success rate of these tenancies shows us that the approach is working.

Two very significant pieces of legislation are currently being worked on, one in relation to rental protections and tenure and the other in relation to planning. It is my intention that both will be published in the autumn. There is a lot more involved in this crisis than just the future of a single political party or government.

Getting to grips with the challenge is a matter of moral urgency and civic duty.

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round table discussion

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The role of local authorities in climate mitigation and adaptation KPMG Ireland hosted a virtual round table discussion with experts from across local government and industry, applying their experience and insight to explore the role of local authorities in climate mitigation and adaptation.

In planning for the future, why is it important that local authorities give due regard to the National Planning Framework (NPF) and emerging technologies?

Shane O’Reilly The National Planning Framework is Ireland’s national strategy for sustainable planning and development. It is strategically aligned to the National

Round table discussion hosted by

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Development Plan. Within the National Planning Framework, several key strategic objectives, including sustainable mobility, high-quality international connectivity, and particularly the transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society, have innovative technologies at their core. Therefore, to ensure both future growth and development at local city, urban settlement, and rural scales, alongside the application of best practice technology, it is essential that local authorities have regard for and alignment with the NPF. It is a cohesive and proactive plan spanning the next 20 years and beyond and, in theory, it should maximise the utility of resources it spends on development and innovation.

It is essentially preparing Ireland for the

upcoming climate challenges it will face.

In being proactive, it should have a degree of flexibility because circumstances will change, and technologies will emerge much more rapidly.

Kieran Reeves The National Planning Framework is only one component of a national policy framework that includes climate action and transportation, but it provides real spatial coherence to what we must deliver in terms of compact growth along with its associated values. The NPF is interesting in that it aligns itself to the UN Social Development Goals and as such, in Limerick, we plan to align the Development Plan for 2022 to 2028 with the SDGs. The link to the National

Roundtable Participants Development Plan is very coherent and is critical in enabling us to come up with plans and policies, alongside the funding mechanisms to go with it. The URDF [Urban Regeneration and Development Fund] programme of investment has been really critical to us in Limerick in the last two rounds. We have put in place solid plans for the future of Limerick in the Limerick 2030 strategy. Furthermore, we have created new vehicles to deliver that vision trough Limerick 2030 Strategic Development DAC, established to drive forward key investments. Funding for some of this will come directly through the National Planning Framework via the National Development Plan and the URDF. Through our involvement in the Positive City Xchange Horizon 2020 project, we have created an inclusive vision incorporating citizen innovation labs, complementing the innovation coming directly from the National Planning Framework. It’s going to drive us.

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Alan Dunney Alan is the Regional Coordinator for the Eastern and Midlands Climate Action Regional Office (EM CARO) which is hosted by Kildare County Council. He is a civil engineer by profession and has worked in local

round table discussion

government for 20 years. He has experience across several local authority functions including transportation, construction, water services capital and operations, flood risk management and landfill regeneration. He has been leading the EM CARO since its establishment in late 2018.

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Clare McKeown Clare McKeown is Sustainable Development Manager at Belfast City Council. She has been at the forefront of sustainable development policy implementation for almost two decades at both local and national level, as a senior policy advisor with the UK Sustainable Development Commission in Northern Ireland and subsequently Head of the Whitehall Team. She is currently leading a number of climate finance and technology related projects.

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Shane O’Reilly Shane O’Reilly is a Director within KPMG Sustainable Futures and leads the ESG and Sustainability service line. KPMG Sustainable Futures is a dedicated cross-functional team of experts who help corporates and public

Alan Dunney

sector clients plan and execute programmes addressing ESG topics, The National Planning Framework is a really important policy framework. Both the National Adaptation Framework and the All of Government Climate Action Plan recognise the NPF as being a critical instrument in enabling the delivery of climate targets and building resilience at that local level. Ultimately, all local mitigation and adaptation measures will be delivered on the ground, and it is important that an overarching plan is in place so that we all work towards a common purpose. In relation to emerging technology, we are a very innovative country. For instance, employment in the technology sector in Dublin city is around 9 per cent, three-times greater than the EU average. We need to leverage that in terms of digitalising and automating our services, contributing to the sustainability agenda.

decarbonisation, and long-term value creation. Shane holds an MBA, MSc in environmental management and a BSc in industrial and environmental chemistry.

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Ger Mulvaney Ger Mulvaney is Director of Risk and Compliance at IPB Insurance and has circa 20 years’ experience in the Insurance Industry. Ger joined IPB Insurance in June 2014, assuming the role of head of risk in 2016 and subsequently risk and compliance in 2018. Prior to joining IPB, he worked in the Central Bank of Ireland as an insurance supervision manager overseeing the risk-based supervision of several large international insurance companies. Ger started his career at PwC where he qualified as a chartered accountant and gained several years’ experience in the audit of insurance and other financial services companies.

5.

Kieran Reeves Kieran Reeves is a Senior Executive Planner in Urban Innovation at Limerick City and County Council. An experienced senior urban planner with over

Clare McKeown

25 years of local government experience in Dublin and Limerick, he has

In Belfast, the net zero carbon transition is going to be a massive challenge, primarily from an engineering perspective. The decarbonisation of electricity and in particular the electrification of heat and transport sectors are the two key responses. It will be vital to have the planning frameworks

strategic planning policy at local and regional levels. In recent times, Kieran

worked in a variety of areas including development management and has worked in the area of economic development as part of a wholly local authority-owned property development company – Limerick 2030 where he oversaw the development of strategic sites in the city centre. Currently he is working in the Urban Innovation Unit targeting the renewal of the historic city core.

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“What is currently being achieved by local authorities through green and blue infrastructure strategies and biodiversity plans is evidence that where they do have control and appropriate

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objectives, a positive outcome is deliverable.”

Shane O’Reilly, Director, Sustainable Futures, KPMG Ireland

ready to adopt those. Knowing exactly where grid upgrades will be required for example for charging electric vehicles at night is going to be a key part of how we prepare for the future. We see the marriage of digitalisation and the decarbonisation processes as the new global industrial revolution. It is a huge technological transformation, and the planning system must enable it. In Belfast, we are looking at new building regulations and retrofitting the existing stock to an advanced low carbon standard, these issues will be a core component of this transition. Going forward a key priority will be to develop an effective public engagement strategy to build consent and maintain support for new measures given the costs and adjustments that will be required to transition to a net zero future.

providers would like to see increased use of big data, for example, this could include tapping into information held by the technology multinationals located here in Ireland to assist with risk management. Likewise, catastrophe models are tools that can be deployed to identify, assess, and manage natural catastrophe risks. These models are highly sophisticated in terms of assessing the likelihood of storms and floods, as well as the associated damage. The increased use of such models is trending up across Europe and indeed globally, and Ireland is catching up in this space.

Ger Mulvaney

The mechanics of regulation are fine, but I think addressing the regulation around the creation of our plans is much more important. Physical regulations around buildings, for example, must react to technology advancements, and already have in some instances, including in relation to nearly zero-energy buildings.

The system already allows for the regulations to be changed quickly to reflect changes in technology or circumstances. However, there is a need

Clearly, there are broad systemic issues at play when we are talking about the effects of climate change and the risk of increased instances of natural catastrophes such as windstorms, floods, and wildfires. A coordinated national approach involving all stakeholders and available technologies is the way forward that is most likely to be successful. In relation to technology, insurance

To what extent are planning regulations a help or hindrance to sustainable development?

Kieran Reeves

for change in how we make our plan and policies. Two years to devise a city or country development plan is too long.

Additionally, development plans are running to over 1,000 pages. That does not incentivise collective buy in or support. People do not want to engage with such a long and detailed process but that is what is happening. We need to simplify and disaggregate the process to enable greater agility. At the core of this is the need to create a proper vision for the future and the establishment of key performance indicators and targets.

Around this vision, a series of action plans are developed and continuously updated to reflect changes in circumstances, finance, etcetera. The pace of change in relation to the climate agenda is so fast that even existing policy frameworks will require agility.

Alan Dunney The length of time it takes to develop a county development plan is a challenge.

We are seeing local development plans going out for consultation but with the new all-of-government Climate Action Plan and the Climate Amendment Bill likely to be enacted soon, the goal posts will have shifted significantly. Nationally, the Wind Energy Development Guidelines and the Development Plan Guidelines

“We need to be an innovative in relation to the partnerships we develop to facilitate a variety of projects, ranging from anaerobic digestion through to residential retrofit.”

Alan Dunney, Regional Coordinator, Eastern and Midlands Climate Action Regional Office

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“Identifying how we are going to finance the transition is going to be vitally important and we need to ensure we are planning ahead in order to avoid having stranded assets and to ensure a Just Transition.”

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Clare McKeown, Sustainable Development Manager, Belfast City Council

would also be of great benefit to the forward planning process, particularly as our planners are looking at a development horizon to 2025.

Kieran Reeves In Limerick City and County Council, we consulted on the development plan last summer and I aligned every submission with the UN Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs], comparing them to what we did in 2010. Undoubtedly, there is a shift in public desire from economic concerns to a focus on communities.

That is not a shift that has occurred overnight. Factors such as the merger of the two local authorities in Limerick and the development of the National Planning Framework and regional strategies has meant that is now over 10 years since the last development plan. Local authorities need to be able to respond much quicker and be increasingly innovative in their actions so that they evolve to match circumstances, technologies, and progress.

Shane O’Reilly Planning regulations are beneficial, but they need to be supported by practical application, at a correct spatial scale, to avoid becoming a hindrance. The UN Sustainable Development Goals have only been around for between three and four years, which is probably not long enough to make a material difference but what they are doing is shaping national planning and a wider legislative framework across Europe. The alignment of the NPF’s strategic outcomes and strategic investment priorities is based on sustainability, so there is a clear direction of travel. If designed and implemented with the proper goals, planning regulations can greatly help the emergence of sustainable development

by ensuring that sustainable solutions are elevated to goals. The key challenge with planning regulations is to ensure they keep pace with the times and ensure that expectations match the level of affordable technologies, providing sufficient incentives to upgrade outdated technologies.

How can local authorities facilitate a sustainable future for natural resources such as waterways, forestry, and biodiversity?

Clare McKeown Local authorities are large landowners.

We own parks, playing fields, woodlands, and forestry, with rivers running through some of that estate also. Managing these spaces into the future will be important in order to protect biodiversity and use that land for climate adaptation purposes.

This is evident in Belfast City Council’s new Blue and Green Infrastructure Plan.

We are also coordinating Belfast’s One Million Trees programme. While the initiative is inherently positive, where these trees are planted and the species that are planted is vitally important. As such, we intend to liaise with communities over the 10-year lifespan of the programme. Learning from other cities about nature-based Climate solutions is important. Belfast is a member of the Global Rockefeller 100 Resilient Cities Network. It enabled us to observe the plans that other cities, such as Rotterdam, were undertaking.

Shane O’Reilly While national plans can provide guidance for development, specific objectives can be defined by local authorities and communities. When it

comes to local authorities and natural resources, it is important to consider what they can control and influence.

Local authorities have a great influence on the sustainable future of their natural resources. As such, they have a key role in evaluating the current condition of their natural resources, benchmarking this against national or international leaders, before creating a cost-benefit analysis to determine objectives for the local authority and the community. What is currently being achieved by local authorities through green and blue infrastructure strategies and biodiversity plans is evidence that where they do have control and appropriate objectives, a positive outcome is deliverable.

Alan Dunney It is about leadership, as exhibited by the work of LAWPRO and the community water officers, our environmental awareness officers, heritage officers and area engineers. There are several examples of effective initiatives. Firstly, most counties will now have adopted the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. If you drive the length and breadth of the country, you will see that there are different techniques being used to manage our land banks, road verges and our parks. Secondly, many local authorities are beginning to engage with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on its afforestation programme. Thirdly, the County City Management Association is collaborating with the GAA, as a major landowner, to drive climate action and sustainability through the GAA network.

Running in parallel to the Healthy Club initiative, the Green Club Programme aims to drive four pillars of climate awareness into the community: energy; biodiversity; water; and travel.

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“What insurers are doing is stress and scenario testing to get a sense of the exposures in relation to climate change. There is a realisation of a need to evolve from being the indemnifier of all that

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could go wrong to helping to mitigate and manage the risk down.”

Ger Mulvaney, Director of Risk and Compliance, IPB Insurance

Ger Mulvaney Fundamentally, the Government and local authorities have undertaken many useful initiatives, but what people individually are doing themselves is vital to protecting our natural resources. To that end, cultural change is necessary, and we have not quite got there yet. This requires some critical reflection on the actions taken to date to ensure buy in as well as contribution at an individual level and the GAA initiative is an example of that taking root. There is only so much that government or a local authority can do without communities of people also assuming a leadership role.

Kieran Reeves Blue and green infrastructure will play a critical role in the transition to a sustainable future. Through their own example, local authorities provide leadership in this sphere. Equally, it is about engaging with our communities.

The Public Participation Network allows the local authority to engage with communities as part of the decisionmaking process. We are lucky in Limerick to have the support of the JP McManus Charitable Foundation which, in partnership with the Council and communities across Limerick, sponsors a range of community initiatives including Team Limerick Clean Up and Going for Gold. Beyond this, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund can be utilised to support communities in developing smarter, active travel routes.

This means connecting different parts of our towns and villages, through the GAA clubs, the schools, and the housing estates, using safe walking and cycling alternatives to roads. It is critical that we engage and involve all facets of society in our decision-making. Limerick City and

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County Council is developing a Citizens’ Observatory as part of the Positive City Xchange project and another EU project called Green Leaf where people are invited to contribute data and information about their local environment and to contribute to the policy making process.

How can the benefits of collaboration between industry and local authorities be maximised?

Alan Dunney We need to be innovative in relation to the partnerships we develop to facilitate a variety of projects, ranging from anaerobic digestion through to residential retrofit. The private sector is showing flexibility and agility in how it is beginning to deal with the challenges of climate change and there is an opportunity for us to work with industry to facilitate the changes that are needed. There are many areas in which local government can benefit from partnership with the private sector and there are a lot of new opportunities for economic growth arising from climate action. Equally, demand from the private sector to partner with local authorities is increasing, with the realisation that local authorities have responsibility for on-the-ground delivery.

Clare McKeown Given the speed required for transformation, collaboration between local government and industry is key.

Innovation will be required on a large scale, as will the need to work together to solve problems. Business can be supported to come up with new solutions for the benefit of society through SBRI initiatives. We have been fortunate enough to be involved in three Innovate UK fund collaborations, bringing together

the public and private sectors, along with SMEs and academia to solve problems.

We are currently working on £9.2 million fund seeking to repurpose Virgin Media’s communication infrastructure for on street charging for electric vehicles in residential areas. The EU Horizon 2020 fund is another route. These types of collaborations evidently create new jobs, new industries and promote wealth creation and inward investment. I am pleased that our city is engaging with those institutions and businesses.

Kieran Reeves The public sector can act as challenge setters to encourage private sector innovation. Limerick is one of two EU ‘lighthouse’ cities selected for a major climate change pilot programme. The Positive City Xchange smart city project aims to establish Limerick as Ireland’s first positive Energy City. We are working with a multitude of companies ranging from start-ups to established companies and, in the coming weeks, will be testing a small river turbine programme in the River Shannon in a bid to support local communities. The Small Business Innovation Research fund is another fantastic tool whereby local authorities and public sector bodies can support private sector innovation in research and development. We can provide sandboxes for the private sector to test and evolve solutions, all the while capturing the benefits for the public good.

Shane O’Reilly The Covid-19 response has served to highlight how collaboration can offer interconnected solutions. Climate change challenges facing local authorities can be very complex and multiple stakeholder engagement is the preferred route to solutions. Collective, cumulative

“The mechanics of regulation are fine, but I think addressing the regulation around the creation of our plans is much more important. Physical regulations around buildings, for example, must react to technology advancements.”

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Kieran Reeves, Senior Executive Planner, Urban Innovation, Limerick City and County Council resources generally benefit all parties, particularly if it is a community public impact project. Maximisation can be achieved through the likes of open forum discussions, collaboration on strategic future planning and private engagement through PPPs.

How will climate mitigation and adaptation programmes be funded and insured into the future?

Ger Mulvaney The insurance model works because funding from the many pays for the claims of the few. If this were to become funding from the many pays for the claims of the many, it would likely provoke a collapse of the business model where insurance becomes too costly or no longer viable. What insurers are doing is stress and scenario testing to get a sense of the exposures in relation to climate change. There is a realisation of a need to evolve from being the indemnifier of all that could go wrong to helping to mitigate and manage the risk down. As we observe increased migration of investment portfolios towards environmental, social and governance criteria and sustainable-type investments, it is in the insurers interest to follow a similar strategy. Additionally, IPB is evolving its product offering to ensure it better aligns with the sustainable activity of local authorities.

Insurers also have access to the global reinsurance market and data to assist in really understanding the risks. We are working with local authorities to help understand and quantify the risks and support mitigation but there is space for greater collaboration.

Clare McKeown

Alan Dunney

Identifying how we are going to finance the transition is going to be vitally important and we need to ensure we are planning ahead in order to avoid having stranded assets and to ensure a Just Transition. Belfast City Council is a member of Place Based Climate Action Network or PCAN, an Economic and Social Research Council-supported network with a sharp focus on green finance, green business development and the just transition. The PCAN project is bringing together the research community, climate strategies, financiers and decisionmakers in the public, private and third sectors to explore green finance and green business. It has been hugely informative in understanding how green finance will operate and how it can be mobilised into the city.

I do not think funding should be a barrier to getting our structures established and getting our staff ready to embrace this challenge. There is €1 trillion aligned with the European Green Deal Ireland will benefit from access to that. Additionally, the Programme for Government has pledged that €1 in every €5 in Ireland’s capital budget for transport is to be spent on active travel each year. Meanwhile, the OPW has set out nearly €1 billion for flood risk management over the course of the NDP. Local government has been pursuing climate change work for the last number of years and I do not think access to funding should be a barrier to getting on with that work. All that said, funding will be required over the coming years to really tackle mitigation and adaptation projects at a scale required to meet our obligations under the Local Authority Climate Action Charter.

Kieran Reeves Globally, there is an understanding that if we don’t handle this transition properly, the world economy could collapse.

Currently, the technology exists to get us to 2030 but post-2030 we are going to need a massive acceleration of technology, that will need to be financed, managed and future proofed. That challenge is focusing minds and we’re seeing the emergence of several funds for sustainable investments. Horizon Europe, for example, is a €95 billion programme and we’re starting to see other innovations including the monetisation of data to mitigate risks. In one colourful analogy, our current situation is akin to building an aeroplane mid-flight while running out of fuel and trying to determine how to land it.

Shane O’Reilly Climate finance is the cornerstone of the EU’s Green Deal and access to green finance will play an ever-increasing part of central and local government budgeting. Our five-year climate budgets, as proposed in the Climate Action Bill, are a potential mechanism to apply taxation to the heaviest of greenhouse gas emitters; not just those who are currently part of the EU ETS, but all industries and sectors. While funds available are vast, there is significant competition for access, and they are not endless. Those at the top of the pile for funding will be the greener and more mitigating projects and I am hoping that this competition will accelerate the innovation we need over the next decade.

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issues eolas

Home ownership rates collapse Income poverty and material deprivation, two key indicators of living standards, have declined by one-half and a one-quarter respectively in Ireland between 1994 and 2019, a new report has found. Despite this, high incidence of low living standards among lone parents, their children, and those of working age in households without anyone in paid work.

In the report, Poverty, income equality and living standards in Ireland by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), it was found that Irish income equality is at its lowest ever recorded level “on the eve of the pandemic”. Ireland’s score on the Gini coefficient, a measure of the distribution of income across populations designed to gauge income inequality, was 16 per cent lower in 2019 than it had been in 1987.

Disposable income growth was also found to have been strong, “if volatile” despite “a lost decade between 2007 and 2017”. Income growth over the last three decades has been “remarkably strong”, averaging more than 3 per cent per year in real terms. Income growth was also found to have been broad-based, rising by 3.6 per cent per year on average for the lowest-income fifth of people compared to 2.7 per cent for the highest-income fifth.

Income inequality has risen sharply in most western economies in this period, but the ESRI states that this has largely been avoided in Ireland due to high employment following the 2008 recession. However, high incidence of low living standards among marginalised groupings such as lone parents and intergenerational inequality in areas such as homeownership will remain as causes for concern.

Intergenerational inequality in housing • One of the key findings of the report is that “in addition to poorer prospects in the labour market, a growing share of young adults are facing high housing costs”.

This is attributed to the collapse of homeownership rates for young adults, from over 60 per cent at age 30 for those born in the 1960s to less than 20 per cent for those born in the late 1980s, meaning many more young people are now “more exposed to rapidly rising rents, especially in urban areas”.

• More than a fifth of those born in the 1980s were paying more than 30 per cent of their disposable income on housing at age 30, while only 13 per cent of those born in the 1970s were doing the same. ESRI data did not extend back far enough to survey older generations at age 30, although it was found that less than 10 per cent of those born in the 1960s spent more than 30 per cent of their disposable income on housing around age 40, compared to 13 per cent of those born in the 1970s.

• The report states that the “combined effect of these developments is to cast a pall over the prospects of young adults and should be cause of serious concern for society at large”. It then suggests that one area where “policy can help is ensuring the provision of high-quality active labour market programmes with sufficient capacity to cater for the numbers that will need them in the years ahead”; these policies, it states can “tackle the root causes of high rents [and] will also disproportionately benefit those younger adults who otherwise risk being left behind”.

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eolas issues Credit: William Murphy

issues eolas

Living standards • Rates of income poverty and material deprivation, two key indicators of low living standards, have declined substantially across the population as a whole: by one-quarter and by one-half respectively between 1994 and 2019.

Under all three definitions of income poverty, where the poverty line is defined by a rate of median equivalised disposable income, the rate rose over the 1990s, from 17.8 per cent in 1987 to 21.4 per cent in 1999 using the 60 per cent of median equivalised disposable income definition; from 8 per cent to 12.7 per cent using the 50 per cent equivalent definition; and from 4 per cent to 6 per cent using the 40 per cent definition, despite a fall in the early 1990s. All three measures then declined substantially over the 2000s such that they had fallen below their 1987 level in 2010.

• However, the report found consistently high levels of income poverty and material deprivation among lone parents, their children, and those of working age in households without anyone in paid work. This predates the Great Recession and has been an enduring feature of Irish society since at least the early 1990s. Material deprivation is here defined as a household unable to afford two or more of the following items: two pairs of strong shoes; a warm waterproof overcoat; new (not second-hand) clothes; replacement of worn out furniture; a meal with meat, chicken, fish (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day; a roast joint or its equivalent once a week; home heating during the last year; presents for family or friends at least once a year; drinks or a meal for family or friends once a month; and a morning, afternoon or evening of entertainment once a fortnight. According to the report, child deprivation rates are much higher for children in one adult households. The rate of deprivation for children in one-adult households has stood above 40 per cent in all but three of the years since 1987, and more than 50 per cent for most of that time.

• The report states that “the incidence of income poverty and material deprivation remains closely linked to the absence of anyone in paid work, both in single- and multi-adult households”, which “suggests that the social welfare system may provide a more targeted and effective tool for addressing low living standards than policies to increase low hourly wages”. It is warned that this “should also give rise to concerns about the impact of Covid-19 related job losses, particularly if those who have lost work are unable to return to their previous positions or find new ones for an extended period of time”.

eolas issues

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Building on belief

Deepak Chaudhari, Country Head for Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Ireland, outlines the company’s global reach and its ambitions to bring its

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global experiences to Irish customers through its expanded capabilities in Ireland.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was established over 50 years ago and has grown into a global player in the IT services sector, with 488,000 employees in 46 countries.

The multinational company generated US $22 billion in the fiscal year to 31 March 2021 and Chaudhari believes that TCS’s commitment to its customers lies behind figures of 98 per cent repeat business.

The Country Head in Ireland highlights TCS’s reputation as a quality employer and points to its recognition as a Global

Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute — one of eight organisations worldwide to have achieved this status.

“We have a hugely talented team with digital technology and business operations skills. There is a great working environment and the company offers employees exciting learning and development opportunities,” explains Chaudhari. “TCS is also one of the largest employers of women, with a 36.4 per cent ratio of female employees.”

Chaudhari outlines that TCS operates as a strategic partner to its customers

across 10 key industries including financial services, insurance, retail, hi tech and public sector. It helps customers deliver their business goals and drive technology-led transformations for their organisations.

The company’s offerings cover the length and breadth of business and technology services from consulting to transformation initiatives, cloud solutions, blockchain, cyber security and cognitive business operations.

Chaudhari adds: “TCS is also keen to ensure that there are health and wellbeing aspects associated with our business. We engage with our associates around health and wellness initiatives and the company is committed to promoting wellness and community development by leveraging technology across a number of sports sponsorships.

This involves being technology partner for a number of city marathons including in London, Mumbai and New York.”

TCS in Ireland TCS established an office in Dublin in 2001, 20 years ago, largely serving global clients based in Ireland and a small number of Irish customers.

Among the key areas of focus in Ireland across industry sectors are digital technologies, IT portfolio optimisations, data analytics, business transformation, cloud operations and cyber security services.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS operates in the UK and Ireland with over 18,000 employees.

A part of the Tata group, TCS has over 488,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 46 countries. TCS has grown to its current position as the ‘Fastest Growing Brand of the Decade in IT Services’ and ranked third most valued IT services brand globally.

TCS's proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index.

Today the business employs over 1,700 people in Ireland and has 30 customers, including companies such as ESB, Aer Lingus, SSE Airtricity, New Ireland Insurance, Bank of Ireland and Primark.

TCS operations TCS operates as a strategic partner to its customers across 10 industries, helping them deliver their business goals and drive technology led transformations.

Chaudhri explains that TCS has a track record of sustained investment in Ireland. In 2012, the company established a major cluster of its Supply Chain Centre of Excellence in Dublin, helping clients across the globe optimise their supply chains and invest in research on next generation supply chain frameworks.

Industry sectors engaged with include: g banking and financial services; g comms/media/hi-tech; g life sciences and healthcare; g public services; g travel, transportation and hospitality; g consumer goods and distribution; g energy, resources and utilities; g insurance; g manufacturing; and g retail.

TCS also serves a number of large multinationals based in Ireland. In November 2020, TCS acquired the assets and employees of Letterkennybased Pramerica Systems, the software and business support subsidiary of Prudential Financial. Around 1,500 Pramerica employees have been transferred to TCS and the business is now one of the leading employers in the North West region of Ireland.

Services provided cover g g g g g g g g

“TCS is now building out its new Global Delivery Centre in Letterkenny. The new enlarged TCS business in Ireland will continue to provide business, digital and technology services, as a near-shore capability to service customers in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US,” he says.

“TCS also plays a role locally, as well as globally. For example, we might have an existing TCS framework that could be tailored to the Irish market. An example of this is the Healthy Ageing for a New Digital Society (HANDS) project, which is a planned collaboration with HSE, ESB, NUI Maynooth, Dublin City Council and others. The project will involve building a

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technology platform that can support and assist the care of vulnerable and elderly people living independently, improving services and quality of life for them. TCS will provide the suitable smart technology based around TCS’ Assisted Living Platform to enable the care to achieve that. We have implemented a similar concept in Singapore and we look forward to bringing the learnings from that project to Ireland.”

brands in the world, now with a sizeable operation in Ireland.

“With our Letterkenny operations, Irish customers have a unique opportunity to leverage TCS's global expertise locally with a wide range of talent and capability available for them. Having achieved growing success in Ireland, we continue to invest into the Irish market and we are confident the business will deliver

Future ambition Chaudhari highlights that TCS has an ambitious plan for increasing its capacity in Ireland, explaining that the organisation is uniquely positioned as one of the largest and fastest growing IT

significant growth over the coming years.”

W: www.TCS.com

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“TCS is a purpose-led business, building stakeholder value and we always do business with a purpose in mind.

‘Building on belief’ is our new brand statement. We have always been known for building certainty but now we are taking a leadership role in helping customers define their business problems, envisioning where they want to be and how we can help them get there,” adds Chaudhari.

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consulting; TCS interactive analytics and insights; Internet of Things; Blockchain; and cloud infrastructure enterprise applications; Microsoft Business Unit cognitive business operation; conversational experiences; automation and AI; engineering and industrial services; cloud apps, APIs; cyber security; and quality engineering.

TCS: Delivering globally and locally

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Andrea McBride, Head of Information Systems at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Ireland, outlines future plans to grow its digital and business operations in Letterkenny and build out a Global Delivery Centre serving customers in Ireland and internationally.

In November 2020, TCS acquired the assets and employees of Pramerica Systems Ireland, the software and business support subsidiary of US insurance company Prudential Financial.

As part of the deal around 1,500 employees have transferred over to TCS. McBride was one of the first eight employees that started with Pramerica in 2000 and prior to her current role was Vice President of Software Engineering in Pramerica Systems Ireland.

Explaining that the Letterkenny-based operation has always taken an entrepreneurial approach, McBride says: “We started with a project for three people and were told to go out and find

work from the parent company in the US. The starting objective was to grow to 150 over two years by building relationships with Prudential operations in New Jersey.”

Over two decades on and the operation now has close to 1,500 employees.

“Our approach was to recruit experienced leaders and to build teams around them. We looked world-wide, for example, taking in COBOL programmers from as far afield as South Africa. The company also worked closely with government agencies such as SOLAS, and its predecessor FÁS, and local universities to provide a supply of new graduates,” she explains.

TCS Ireland now design courses in

partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, Letterkenny IT, Sligo IT and NUI Galway. The organisation also hires staff with experience internationally, usually from Fortune 500 companies, and this is reflected in the 35 different nationalities it employs in its Letterkenny operations.

For example, TCS’s head of data science came from Fidelity in Boston 10 years ago.

“We have always tried to keep relevant to the business needs of customers and moving towards higher-end roles such as full stack development, automation testing, business analysis, project management, data analytics, cloud, cyber security and the full range of backoffice services including legal, business support services and digital services,” states McBride.

“We have always had the philosophy of ‘own your own career’. We provide opportunities for people to move across disciplines and across business units.”

The Head of Information Systems says that the Letterkenny base has been an

advantage in recruiting: “We have attended career fairs with surf boards and sand with the message ‘you can have a global career and live in the North West of Ireland’.”

The TCS acquisition is a big opportunity for the Letterkenny operation and McBride highlights the reduction in risk from relying on one client and emphasises the opportunity of moving to multiple clients across several industry segments.

“Our strategy is to keep the existing business going and build out from that, focusing on clients in Ireland, UK, EMEA and near shore USA,” she says. “We have already started working with some of TCS's big Irish clients and other UK and European clients. The aim is to provide multiple Irish clients with a world class capability locally from Letterkenny and grow this to other UK and European customers. We have an excellent track record of delivering services across digital skills, infrastructure services, analytics, cyber security, dev ops, enterprise agile services etc. We have state-of-the-art facilities including an innovation lab and are further building business units focused on supporting Microsoft, together with a centre of excellence in cyber security and a centre of excellence in cloud services.

“It is particularly exciting for staff to be able to work in different industries and to work in vertical centres of expertise.

“We have already plugged into the global experience of TCS across its 10 core industry segments. On one project in particular, I was able to access the expertise in digital transformation from the TCS group in Chicago.”

Challenges and opportunities

“They have the opportunity to work anywhere in the world. The company has also a great framework for competency training and upskilling. You can work in different industry segments

Earlier this year, TCS Ireland participated in a webinar event, hosted by IDA Ireland, titled ‘Ireland & India – Partners in a Global Digital Economy’. Chaired by Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland, the panel discussion involved some of the most prominent Indian businesses with operations in Ireland. An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD made a special address to participants and attendees at the webinar, which acknowledged and celebrated the special relationship and great partnership between Ireland and India.

Speaking at the event, Deepak Chaudhari, Country Head for TCS in Ireland outlined the ambitions for TCS in Ireland and expressed his gratitude for the ongoing support the business has received from IDA Ireland.

To view complete webinar, visit: https://on.tcs.com/35u8W8W

and still remain in TCS. “We also want to get the TCS brand better known in Ireland and we will be working on that in the coming period.

TCS is really well known in the UK but not so well known in Ireland. The company’s sports-related sponsorship activities fit well with our approach of community engagement in the past, which focused on sport and education.”

to build on these activities and the focus on sport and education will continue.”

Future Concluding, McBride explains that TCS Ireland has an ambition to grow its Letterkenny operation in the next five years. “We are well used to getting on a plane to New Jersey in order to build relationships,” she explains.

Local engagement McBride explains that the Letterkenny operations have always had community involvement as a core principle from the outset. “We have done a lot of sponsorship of sport in local schools and within the community. We have an annual volunteer day and over 90 per cent of staff took a day and volunteered in the local community, cleaning up parks, repairing football pitches etc. We also work closely with Business in the Community on various education initiatives. Additionally, we have supported the local theatre. TCS is keen

“We have always had a client, or partner mindset. Your client is really the key to your success. The opportunity to develop that consulting mindset further afield now that we are part of TCS is such an opportunity for the Letterkenny operation. I am excited with the potential of serving multiple Irish and other multinational customers from this centre here.”

W: www.TCS.com

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McBride explains that the biggest challenge continues to be talent: “We have been working with the universities over the years and we offer a lot of internships, which helps attract the right talent. We also have frequent recruitment campaigns targeting the right skills sets. On the positive side we can offer good renumeration packages in an attractive part of the island and can compete effectively with the big cities.

The biggest selling point now is the opportunity any recruit has with the TCS global network.

IDA Ireland celebrate links as partners in a global digital economy

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Minister Simon Coveney meeting with Palestine refugee students at the UNRWA School in Jabalia Refugee Camp, Gaza. Credit: UNRWA.

Ireland recognises Israeli annexations in historic vote The latest round of Israeli expansion into Palestinian land has drawn condemnation from the Irish Government, which in doing so became the first EU government to recognise the actions of Israel as “de facto annexations”.

The Irish Government’s condemnation of Israeli actions came in May after an 11day bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and unrest elsewhere had killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and wounded a further 1,900. The latest round of violence came amidst unrest stemming from the expulsion of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem

by Israeli settlers, the latest in a longrunning series of expansions into Palestinian territories that the Israeli state has backed since the Six-Day War of 1967.

Since the 1967 war, Israel has maintained

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its occupation of Palestinian territories and extended into further territories, leaving roughly 450,000 settlers in the occupied West Bank among the three million native Palestinians. Despite the repeated condemnations of international organisations such as the UN that these settlements are illegal, the Israeli Government has in recent years announced its intentions to permanently annex all occupied land, including the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights.

Despite the recognition of the Golan Heights as part of the state of Israel by former US President Donald Trump, the EU has not recognised Israeli sovereignty in the region, or other occupied areas,

citing the international law that land gained as part of offensive or defensive measures in war cannot be legally annexed.

The historic Dáil vote, in which Ireland became the first EU state to censure the actions of Israel as de facto annexation, was concluded after a motion tabled by Sinn Féin was unopposed. However, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD did add an amendment that condemned rocket attacks conducted by Hamas that had by then claimed the lives of 13 Israelis. A People Before Profit amendment to expel the Israeli Ambassador was rejected by the Dáil.

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Coveney said that the coalition Government had backed the motion due to “manifestly unequal” treatment of Palestinians. He told the Dáil: “The scale, pace and strategic nature of Israel’s actions on settlement expansion and the intent behind it have brought us to a point where we need to be honest about what is actually happening on the ground... It is de facto annexation.” The use of the word annexation rather than occupation is a critical one, as Palestinians living on land annexed by

Ambassador, Mission of the State of PalestineIreland, Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid said: “The Annexation Motion and unanimous support it garnered across the political spectrum in Ireland sent a strong message across Europe and the international community that Ireland will always stand up for international law. As we speak, Palestinians are being killed and injured for defending their lands and their rights against colonial expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan and Beita are all being ethnically cleansed by a hostile occupation. This week, yet another bombardment broke the fragile truce in Gaza as Israel continues its colonial project, expanding illegal settlements resulting in the de facto annexation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Israel would technically reside within the Israeli state without any citizenship rights. eolas Magazine staff travelled to Israel and Palestine in 2019, visiting both east and west Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the West Bank. One illuminating experience was entry into H2, the section of the

“Israel killed more innocent civilians and destroyed vital Gazan infrastructure, but these acts will not break our people, who believe in and will continue to defend their right to freedom and to live in peace. The international community have a responsibility to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. The absence of accountability and justice will only lead to greater instability. There must be a renewed impetus to tackle Israel’s impunity and bring about a peaceful twostate solution, along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a free, sovereign state of Palestine.”

West Bank city Hebron that is under Israeli military control that contains roughly 30,000 Palestinians and 800 Israeli settlers. Following relatively effortless passage through the turnstiles at the entrance into the Old City of Hebron, in the shadow of the Cave of the Patriarchs, both our Palestinian driver and tour guide were subjected to body searches conducted by heavily armed IDF soldiers. A glimpse into the “manifestly unequal” treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and beyond.

The Dáil vote was conducted at a time when a ceasefire between the IDF and

On the Dáil vote, Lior Haiat, Spokesperson, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Israel outright rejects Ireland's outrageous and baseless position regarding Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. This position reflects a blatantly one-sided and simplistic policy and follows the unacceptable anti-Israel statements that were heard in Ireland, at a time when the citizens of Israel were being subject to terror attacks by the more than 4,000 rockets that were landed from the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terror organisation. The motion that was adopted by the Irish parliament constitutes a victory for the extremist Palestinian factions. The motion distances Ireland from its ambition to contribute and play a constructive role in the Israeli-Palestinian context.”

Hamas had been reached, a ceasefire that has now been broken upon the appointment of new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. How Ireland, and the international community at large, will respond to this renewed violence remains to be seen; it is likely that Ireland will experience continued wrangling over the implementation of the Occupied Territories Bill, which has been rendered unlikely by government opposition. eolas Magazine reached out to both the Mission of the State of Palestine in Ireland and the Embassy of Israel, Ireland

Israeli Ambassador to Ireland, Ophir Kariv, said of the broader conflict: “Israel was not looking to start a military conflict with Hamas, a terrorist organisation in Gaza, and did everything possible to avoid conflict and confrontation. Initiating this conflict was a decision, made by Hamas, which had nothing to do with Israel. This decision was due to internal Palestinian politics and Hamas seeking to show their strength vis-à-vis the Palestinian Authority. Hamas thought that attacking Israel and Israeli citizens was the way to do so. Israel's main goal during the Operation “Guardian of the Walls” was to stop indiscriminate firing of rockets into civilian population. It is important to change the dynamics and curtail the capabilities of Hamas in order to ensure that in the future both Israeli and Palestinian civilians will not be taken hostage by terror organisations.”

for comment on both the recent violence and the vote taken in the Dáil.

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round table discussion

The future of big data for research and development Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Ireland hosted a virtual round table discussion comprising the insight of experts from across third-level education and industry to explore the future of big data for research and development.

What support does industry, and third-level institutions, require to capitalise on data explosion?

Maeve Culloty Industry needs a clear framework for data governance to enable long-term planning and investment; there are some data governance models in existence today – such as the Data Governance Act as announced by the European Commission – which could provide this certainty, however, there is a long way to go before researchers can have and truly

utilise interoperable data across different platforms. It would be useful to understand government’s roadmap as it pertains to data. What we are seeing is that it is very difficult for researchers to access data because of the permissions required and the length of time it takes to get them. With the evolution of the Data Governance Act, we are hoping that Ireland interprets it and establishes a better roadmap for accessibility, portability and usability of data inside the country.

Eoin O’Reilly From a Tyndall National Institute perspective, it is crucial for our research that we have access to usable open

Round table discussion hosted by

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data. It is not only important that the data exists, but that it exists in a format that we can understand and trust. That ranges from materials research, where it is necessary to know the background to how the data was developed, through to work in biophotonics. A second important factor is the ability to analyse the data. The whole research community is on a journey to learn how to use the data. Right across the system, there is much more that we could do that we are not doing currently, if we knew how to do it.

Ray Walshe We need to concentrate on why we have this data explosion. Where is it coming from and what utility can we get out of it?

The two areas within which the greatest strides forward will be made are data governance and standardisation in relation to data explosion. That is where the most progress will be made in attempting to shape the data economy or the digital single market for the future. As

Roundtable Participants a member of the EU, Ireland must align itself with the European Commission regulations, such as the Data Governance Act and the AI directives. Having our own national policy and our own data governance strategy will be key to the success of our indigenous industries in the future.

Fred Clarke Fred Clarke has worked in information technology for over 30 years. He is currently Head of Research IT, UCD IT Services, a service which provides IT services and infrastructure to the active research community in University College Dublin.

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Maeve Culloty

JC Desplat

Maeve Culloty is the Managing Director for HPE Ireland. As a

I agree with my colleagues. The key factor here is the presence of a well thought out, long-term vision or a national strategy.

What has been missing is strong political leadership across successive governments, alongside an absence of a sense of long-term purpose. The timeliness of decisions is increasingly important and there is a need to carefully align any national strategy with the European Commission which has demonstrated very strong leadership in this domain. This would allow Ireland to leverage European initiatives because, increasingly, funding is allocated on the basis of cofunding with other member states. The signals are very positive and now we must ensure that they are realised. For instance, the creation of the new Department for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

qualified chartered accountant, she joined HP/HPE 12 years ago working in the HPE Financial Services business unit. Her career has spanned various roles including audit, customer operations, business development and Global Sales teams.

Jean-Christophe Desplat Jean-Christophe ‘JC’ Desplat is a technology expert with over 25 years’ experience in high-performance computing (HPC). His particular interest lies in the innovative use of HPC technologies in emerging domains. He has served as advisor to several committees in Ireland and abroad, including the strategic advisory team of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the ICT subcommittee of the Irish Medical Council and the Climate Change Research Coordination Committee of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). JC is also the national representative for Ireland on the Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) AISBL Council since 2010.

Eoin O’Reilly Eoin O’Reilly is Chief Scientist at Tyndall National Institute, Ireland’s largest research centre, focused on deep-tech research based on

Which data storage and access innovations are you most looking forward to and why?

photonics and electronics. He joined Tyndall in 2001, as one of the first research professors funded by Science Foundation Ireland.

His research on photonic materials and devices is widely recognised, including the award in 2014 of the Rank Prize for Optoelectronics for his pioneering work on

JC Desplat

advanced semiconductor lasers.

Software innovations are often overlooked but in my opinion are of equal importance. The dominant POSIX I/O API used in the vast majority of scientific applications is becoming a bottleneck to performance at scale. The cloud industry has shown how applications can be ported to object-based user space APIs, such as S3, to enable far greater scalability but these APIs are not always suitable for scientific applications. Several research projects such as DAOS and SAGE2 are implementing high performance object stores which I hope will enable a break with the constraints of POSIX which we have been living with for the past 40 years.

Additionally, I see exciting innovations at application level in the form of the emergence of digital twins. These represent a major step change in the way

Ray Walshe Ray Walshe is a senior researcher in the ADAPT Research Centre at Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland. He began his career in industry as a software engineer, software consultant and project manager with LM Ericsson, Software and Systems Engineering Limited and Siemens. Joining the School of Computing at DCU in 1995, he delivers AI, IoT and Data Governance modules on undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programmes and currently (2021) chairs the Graduate Diploma in Web Technologies. Ray has been a digital leader with the World Economic Forum since 2016, was appointed to the IEEE European Public Policy Committee on ICT in 2019 and is currently the AI WG Lead for IEEE EPPC. Ray was also appointed in 2020 to the OECD Network of Experts (ONE AI).

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“There needs to be a standardised platform that businesses, governments and citizens can operate their data on and that the movement of that data is secure, refined, and understood.”

Maeve Culloty, Managing Director, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. in which high-performance computing [HPC] is utilised, and how HPC coalesces with sister technologies such AI, Big Data, IoT and Edge, etcetera. into a digital continuum. We are entering the era of the digital continuum, and this will have a drastic impact on how we build infrastructure and provide services.

Fred Clarke There is so much data that there will never be enough disc space to store it all so how we train people to manage data is fundamental. We need to train the research community of the future on how they distil the data they require and how to curate it. Another major challenge for us is the time spent shunting data around to a location where it can be used. We are computationally bound so we move

Jean-Christophe Desplat Director, Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC).

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data in, use it and then we have to delete it.

Maeve Culloty One innovation that HPE is working on at the moment is the swarm learning principle, where we move algorithms to where the dataset is hosted – as opposed to having to centralise data in one place before running analysis – enabling movement of the insights onto multiple platforms without the need to move the actual data. It is a development that is attracting a lot of interest, especially because we are talking to customers who remain unsure about whether their datasets should reside in on-premises cloud or the public cloud, often at a cost. Swarm learning is an exciting proposition. Another exciting

initiative is the GAIA-X initiative in Europe, creating a platform that will enable interoperability in a secure and standardised way. There are different interpretations of the initiative across Europe, but I believe the principle of it is really important. There does need to be standardised platform that businesses, governments and citizens can operate their data on and then that the movement of that data is secure, refined, and understood.

Ray Walshe I think two major shifts are ongoing in relation to data storage. The first is an architectural shift. More and more of the storage function behind our data processing capability is being provided by software and in particular, a software

“The effectiveness of collaboration requires the striking of the right balance. The need for clarity on where the benefits to the industry lie are important because if the collaboration means just a sale or is about covert access to data then the true value of partnership will never be delivered and a race to the bottom will ensue.”

stack. The greater migration of software stacks to cloud-based storage or nonpremises-based storage is enabling potential cloud-based HPCs. The second shift is a geographical one. With edge computing and IoT at the edge we’re going to have a requirement for a large amount of fast storage at the edge. Flash storage and flash technology will be important in the future.

Eoin O’Reilly I think a major challenge to data storage in the future will be the need for rapid access and there is a need for strong innovations in this area. So, the development of access to networks to be able to efficiently handle large data samples, both from a research computing side and more widely.

Interestingly, some of the challenges in this space can be addressed by the capabilities of big data in terms of digital twins to support very agile networks and functionality.

What are the most significant obstacles to the adoption and implementation of new data innovations?

Ray Walshe For most innovations to become global, interoperability is required.

Interoperability requires standardisation.

One of the limitations I see is the adoption of harmonised standards,

whether they are European or are international. The lack of adoption of standardised approaches, tools, technologies, instruments, services, systems etcetera is a major limitation when it comes to data innovation.

Standardisation is a normal and crucial part of the innovation lifecycle. The reality of the innovation lifecycle is beginning with a scenario in which graduates come up with a smart idea.

That idea leads to disruption and new innovation. That disruption then leads to a scenario where many people compete to become dominant in a market. In order for that chaos to subside, standards are required. Once adopted, the standardised approach becomes survival of the fittest. After that has occurred, the chaos dies down, and a stable globalisation emerges whereby people worldwide begin adopting new technology. From university level to national level, there is a growing awareness that standardisation is becoming increasingly important and for industry and educational institutions.

Maeve Culloty Firstly, when it comes to cookie consent banners, the understanding of the information that is being given away, from a user perspective right through to companies and public administrations, is really lacking. Secondly, within our standard curricula, digital skills should be more prevalent. Regardless of the course that is being undertaken, students should be equipped with a baseline of digital skills, an understanding of cybersecurity, data, and the

round table discussion

Fred Clarke Head of Research IT Service, University College Dublin.

“I think the whole idea of standardsdriven data storage and management is great, however storage configurations based on standards are set at a very high bar, it is hard to get funding for a standards-driven approach; you need to significant infrastructure to do that.” repercussions. Thirdly, there needs to be national data infrastructure; the Government needs to start thinking about data infrastructure in the same way it does about physical infrastructure – with a long-term plan for investment.

JC Desplat In HPC, data innovations are in AI, machine learning and quantum computing. For me, the real innovation is in the effective orchestration and blending of these technologies within the digital continuum. There are four main obstacles to this. Firstly, the excessive splitting of data resulting from chronic underinvestment in data infrastructure.

Short-range vision leads to the targeting of opportunistic funding which itself leads to the organic growth and fragmentation of infrastructure. In the end, capability is greatly reduced, and issues of stability and interoperability become more commonplace. Secondly, the competitiveness of the Irish national HPC infrastructure has been in relative decline for over a decade now. This situation is of great concern to me, as we are moving science and research ever closer to needing exascale computing capability as standard. Across Europe, through the EuroHPC Competence Centre initiative [EuroCC], the advancement of academic research and industrial application at this level is underway. Ireland is part of this work but its competitiveness relative to other European countries is lower now than at any time since ICHEC was established.

4 Thirdly, there is a silo mentality and resistance to change. There is a need for 37

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Eoin O’Reilly Chief Scientist Tyndall National Institute.

“It is important that across our academic environment we have engagement across the full spectrum, from the fundamental side through to the applied side. I also think it is important that we have different disciplines speaking to each other.”

strong, long-range political leadership on technology. Maybe technology is now so intertwined with our society that the time has come to appoint a dedicated Chief Technology Officer [CTO] to advise government in the same way the Government CIO and the Chief Science Advisor advise government on their respective domains. A government CTO would provide reliable and timely advice to government on matters such as HPC and sister technologies.

Fred Clarke Ray is talking about is standards and JC is talking about funding. I think the whole idea of standards-driven data storage and management is great, however storage configurations based on standards are set at a very high bar, it is hard to get funding for a standardsdriven approach; you need significant infrastructure to do that.

Ray Walshe StandICT.eu is a Horizon 2020-funded project which supports engagement on international standardisation by European and Irish experts and we have a good success record in doing that.

Standardisation is something that happens in the small, as well as in the large. I can cite many examples where companies such as Openet, have developed their technology in parallel with driving standard processes to become multibillion dollar companies by putting standards at the forefront of their technologies. Perhaps it is not suitable for all industries, but it is possible, and we can use those exemplars to illustrate that the coevolution of technology development and standards development can be very lucrative.

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Eoin O’Reilly One of the major obstacles is the expertise capacity to take advantage of the data. There are some areas which are well positioned to rush ahead in this field while there are others where it would be very advantageous, but they do not have the expertise or the linkages to do so.

This relates to Maeve’s emphasis on the value of having everyone having a baseline of digital skills. Digital experts must also be able to collaborate with people who have demands and applications. The evolution of ICHEC is an excellent example of this. In its initial years, ICHEC enabled a small section of the academic community to deliver very good research. Now the wider ecosystem has developed so that ICHEC is a much broader resource which serves not just academia, but also the public service, MNCs and SMEs. Another long-term challenge is resourcing; that is partly funding but it is also the scale of the computing that is required. As more and more adapt to utilise big data a challenge then emerges in terms of natural resource usage. In the long-term, we must look at how we undertake the same processes in a more efficient manner.

there is a bigger role for industry on the ground within third-level institutions to demonstrate their latest initiatives.

Successes have been achieved, for example, the skill levels of PhD students are rising because that is what industry is asking for.

Ray Walshe Close collaboration is key to increasing the value associated with the analysis of data. It is important to point out that it is not just a sharing of expertise but also of the technology, the platforms, and the use cases.

Maeve Culloty We have collaborated extensively with third-level institutions in the area of cybersecurity with that should be a reference point when focusing on data.

For example, the funding of courses within universities has ensured we have some of the highest calibre students working with us today. Equally, the research we have done in R&D has enabled us to help develop out the curriculum, meaning it’s beneficial for all parties. We now need to turn that collaboration towards data.

Ray Walshe

How can industry best assist third-level institutions in extracting the most value from their data?

Companies like Hewlett-Packard Enterprise have a high-level overview of worldwide trends in relation to ICT and they are well versed in knowing where the new technology opportunities and challenges are. It is important that they disseminate and outsource some of that vision to help build out the next tech leaders in Ireland.

Fred Clarke

Eoin O’Reilly

Strong links with industry have already been formed and are evident in some of the initiatives already in place. I think

For me, it is through collaboration. We have come a long way in regard to collaboration between third-level

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“Having our own national policy and our own data governance strategy will be key to the success of our indigenous industries in the future.”

Ray Walshe, Director, EU Observatory for ICT Standards (EUOS).

institutions and industry in the last two decades and the model we have adopted is making a strong impact.

There is a mutual benefit. Yes, access to skills is important but so too is the value of higher-education institutions getting access to relevant industry problems.

across the full spectrum, from the fundamental side through to the applied side. I also think it is important that we have different disciplines speaking to each other.

JC Desplat

I’ve seen students really benefiting from training in practical examples and gain a better understanding of good practices in relation to data management. We’re working tightly with UCD library where there are some good resources for data management and archiving. They are very good at distilling what data people need and how long they are going to keep it. Those systems are being put in cost-effectively and offer practical examples of the incentives of good behavior when it comes to data management.

There are clear benefits for highereducation institutions to access modern, finely tuned data services but it must not be done at any cost. The effectiveness of collaboration requires the striking of the right balance. The need for clarity on where the benefits to the industry lie are important because if the collaboration means just a sale or is about covert access to data then the true value of partnership will never be delivered and a race to the bottom will ensue. In particular, I am wary of arrangements where HEIs get locked into specific technologies or platforms, and/or hand over access to and control over their data. I would advise the adoption of open frameworks whenever possible. As we migrate towards a more connected and federated data environment, interoperability will be key.

How can today’s students be equipped to meet the research and development demands of Industry 4.0?

Eoin O’Reilly Again, it comes back to close engagement between academia and industry, but I believe we need to think more broadly than Industry 4.0. It is important that across our academic environment we have engagement

Fred Clarke

Ray Walshe DCU’s tagline is “the university of enterprise” and we have very close relationships with industry. What that shows us is that there is quite a diverse skills requirement within the ICT sector.

There is no silver bullet to solving the skills gap and what we are seeing is that it is no longer sufficient to have a niche expertise, you need to be able to communicate with other disciplines. That applies to not only the horizontal disciplines like AI, cloud, and big data but also the vertical disciplines like manufacturing, medical and agriculture.

There isn’t one type of student who delivers all that, so we need to have a mix of deliveries at graduate, diploma, post-graduate and doctoral level to meet that need. There is going to be constant evolving change and you we can adapt to that change by being grounded in industry.

JC Desplat A McKinsey report published last July on Industry 4.0 and Covid-19 highlighted the value of digital solutions in facing the pandemic but it also demonstrated the value of a people-centered process and highlighted the need for new skills and training in key areas. A degree of reskilling is required if Industry 4.0 is to be successful. Similarly, a University of Cambridge Report from 2019 on the digitalisation of the manufacturing sector and the policy implications for Ireland identified the business benefits of digital adoption but suggested the need for a digital curricula and the creation of programmes for upskilling networks of SMEs, amongst other things. For Industry 4.0, many students need foundations in data-driven decisionmaking. We at ICHEC have an education and training role, in particular on the topic of HPC, and we have been involved in key programmes often in collaboration with other centres and institutions.

I believe Ireland needs to be far more innovative than how it has addressed skills development in the past.

Maeve Culloty There is a recognition needed across government and industry of the potential of the data economy. Much like the physical trade economy, there is a need to underpin the data economy with a structured strategy involving things like skills, funding and R&D. Data is going to be a huge part of our economy going forward and we need to have the mechanisms and structures to capitalise on that. Understanding the data economy and how to capitalise on data as a resource will be a fundamental skill for the next generation of graduates.

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Mica redress could top €2 billion Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the Government will “do everything it can” to help people whose houses have been damaged by the presence of mica minerals in cement blocks. A full redress scheme, as is being demanded by those affected, could cost over €2 billion.

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The Taoiseach made his pledge in the Dáil before TDs were due to vote on a Sinn Féin motion to grant the homeowners 100 per cent redress. The Dáil carried the motion, with Martin stating that what had happened to some 5,700 homes in the north-west was “scandalous and devastating”.

Grave defects caused by the presence of muscovite mica in the cement blocks that were used to build the homes has brought attention back to the issue, with many of the houses affected requiring demolition.

According to the Mica Action Group and the Report of the Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks published in 2017, mica attracts moisture from the environment, with external walls especially affected, and weakens the strength of the blocks, causing them to eventually crumble.

In 2016, an expert panel was set up to investigate problems with homes affected by mica and another mineral, pyrite. In 2019, the Government approved a €20 million repair scheme that those affected now say is not fit for purpose. Under the scheme, eligible homeowners are required to pay 10 per cent of the repair costs and to continue paying their mortgages, while the Government covers 90 per cent of the cost. Dublin homeowners were granted 100 per cent redress in a similar situation, when their homes were affected by pyrite, and the same solution has now become the major demand of the homeowners affected in Donegal, Mayo and elsewhere.

A redress scheme being run by Donegal County Council has so far recommended that about a quarter of the houses be demolished, with engineers involved believed to be in favour of demolition of all the houses due to fears that mica could still be present in other blocks within the structure and surface in the years to come. Government reports have estimated the cost of a full redress scheme at €1 billion but were all affected houses to be demolished the cost would most likely exceed €2 billion with over 5,000 private homes thought to be affected. An estimate for the number of social houses and public buildings affected due to being built with blocks

Micra Action Group members with Minister Joe McHugh TD, Michael Doherty and Bernard McGuinness.

“Government reports have estimated the cost of a full redress scheme at €1 billion but were all affected houses to be demolished the cost would most likely exceed €2 billion with over 5,000 private homes thought to be affected.” from the same supplier has not yet been made.

Estimates states that the number of

The EU’s Construction Products Regulation covers “a suite of harmonised standards covering most construction products including aggregates, and concrete blocks”, but the Department of Housing has stated: “It should be noted that primary responsibility for demonstrating a construction product’s compliance with the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation rests with the manufacturer of the product.”

development that would lend yet more

homes affected could yet rise to 10,000, a voices to the campaign for full redress. In the meantime, Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien TD has stated that his department is working through submissions from the action group, “which we received five weeks ago and we are liaising with other departments and agencies to figure out how best to address some of the concerns raised”.

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Stability Programme Update 2021 As necessitated by European budgetary rules, the Stability Programme Update (SPU 2021) was published by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD in April 2021 and outlines the Department of Finance’s medium-term (2021 to 2025) macroeconomic and fiscal forecasts.

In the short-term, the Irish economy remains exposed to exogenous factors such as Covid-19, its variants, an initially lethargic delivery of the vaccination programme. However, the programme is now well underway and is anticipated to conclude in the second half of 2021.

As such, SPU 2021 assumes that vaccination deployment targets will be met, and that vaccination will be effective, leading to reopening of the economy from the second half of 2021.

As such, it forecasts that GDP will increase by 4.5 per cent in 2021 and 5 per cent in 2022. Beyond 2022, the SPU forecasts that the economic recovery will continue from 2023 to 2025, with spare capacity in the economy reducing in positive correlation.

Overall, resilience of the Irish economy has been determined by those prosperous sectors which are commanded by multinational corporations, such as the pharmaceutical and ICT industries. Domestically, however, exposed consumer-facing sectors, such as retail and hospitality, have underwent significant contraction due to an inability to pivot to remote working. These contrasting experiences of the pandemic have once again emphasised the dual economy that exists in Ireland, explaining Ireland’s relatively strong economic performance in the interim.

Labour market The pandemic had a significant impact on the labour market, with labour-

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intensive sectors and young people experiencing greatest job losses. CSO figures for April 2021 indicate that the Covid-19 adjusted unemployment rate was 22.4 per cent. The SPU forecasts that this rate will average 16.3 per cent in 2021 before falling to 8.2 per cent in 2022, modestly continuing its descent thereafter.

Following the relaxation of public health restrictions for consumer-facing sectors, the employment growth rate is expected to be 4 per cent in 2021 and 11 per cent in 2022. Likewise, compensation of employees is projected to grow by 4.1 per cent in 2021 and 4.0 per cent in 2022. This growth rate is lower than in pre-pandemic years, reflecting the likelihood that employment growth will occur in sectors with relatively low pay.

However, one potential scenario is that labour market scarring delays any recovery in employment and contributes to increased long-term employment.

Inflation In common with other eurozone countries, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) inflation was recorded at -0.5 per cent in 2020. As the pandemic recedes and the economy recovers, inflation is forecast to increase to 1.1 per cent in 2021 and 1.9 per cent in 2022, higher than in years prior when the inflation rate was less than 1 per cent. Contributing factors to the increased inflation rate include pent-up demand, increased oil prices and the conclusion of the temporary reduction in the standard rate of VAT.

Global economic outlook Across the world, the vaccination rollout, and expansive fiscal policies in the largest economies, such as the Next Generation EU recovery plan and the American Rescue Plan Act, have improved the global economic outlook.

Economic recovery in Ireland as small, open economy will, in part, be determined by the fiscal stimuli in the key trade markets of the EU and the US. Informed by the rapid deployment of vaccination programmes in the US and the UK, the IMF forecasts robust recovery for both nations in 2021. Meanwhile, the Eurozone economy is expected to experience a comparatively weaker recovery in 2021 ahead of stronger growth in 2022.

Tax revenue There is a marginal difference between the tax revenue estimate contained in Budget 2021 and that within SPU 2021.

The SPU’s estimate projects a total tax revenue of €60.395 billion, a mere €5 million above that of the Budget. Overall, it is estimated that tax revenue in 2021 will increase by 5.6 per cent when compared with 2020. Revenue growth out to 2025 is expected to be propelled primarily by an average 7 per cent annual growth in income tax and VAT receipts from 2022 to 2025.

VAT recovery is reliant on the extent to which household savings are consumed as society reopens, with the Department estimating that one-fifth of excess

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Credit: Merrion Street.

savings will be spent from Q3 2021 and throughout 2022. It is anticipated that capacity will constrain this spending, either in terms of speed or extent of overall spending.

Meanwhile, the income tax rebound will be determined by increased employment in those labour-intensive sectors which have been effectively shut since the onset of the pandemic. Therefore, a slow recovery in employment could serve to disrupt income tax receipts recovery.

Conversely though, these sectors contribute comparably less to income tax revenue than others, explaining its resilience over the last year.

Most conspicuously, in contrast to significant growth in receipts in the years preceding the pandemic (averaging 13 per cent each year between 2015 and 2019), the corporation tax revenue stream is expected to increase by a mere 5 per cent in the period from 2020 to 2025. Indeed, SPU 2021 estimates project that annual corporation tax receipts could be €2 billion less by 2025 as a result of international tax reform.

Spending Over one decade, the SPU projects that total gross voted expenditure will increase from around €55 billion in 2015 to almost €87 billion in 2025. Prior to the pandemic, total gross voted expenditure for 2020 was €70.4 billion. In reality, gross voted expenditure was €14.9 billion higher, totalling €85.3 billion.

Meanwhile, ‘core spending’ (excluding Covid- and Brexit-related spending) is anticipated to grow by an average of 3.5 per cent between 2022 and 2025.

Short-term Budget 2021 capped the Government Expenditure Ceiling at €87.8 billion. SPU 2021 did not revise this projected voted spending but did indicate that a contingency of €5.4 billion of nonallocated funds would be spent.

In Q1 and Q2 of 2021, spending pressures, such as pandemic supports (totalling €3.3 billion in Q2 alone), were sustained by the extension of public health restrictions.

As per government policy, the SPU assumes that the Pandemic

“We are projecting an improvement in the public finances next year.

There are, however, clear downside risks for the public finances. In particular, international corporation tax reform could weigh more heavily on this revenue stream than is currently assumed.

“Having said that, the public finances are in a much better position to absorb the expected shock… The tax base is much wider than prior to the global financial crisis and, importantly, there is time build up the resilience of the public finances before international reforms move to the implementation phase.” Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD

Unemployment Payment and the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme would cease on 30 June 2021. However, extended deadlines of 7 September 2021 and 31 December 2021 respectively have now been confirmed and are likely to deplete the €5.4 billion contingency. As such, to allocate these funds, new revised estimates or supplementary estimates will be required across several votes. Given this context, it is also possible that voted expenditure could exceed the government expenditure ceiling.

Medium-term For its ‘core spending’ projections from 2022 to 2025, the SPU assumes a 3.5 per cent growth rate of expenditure. While this is higher than assumed spending growth contained in its predecessors (voted spending grew at 5.9 per cent per annum between 2015 and 2019) meaning that SPU 2021’s assumptions can be regarded as conservative.

In both 2023 and 2024, spending is

estimated to be €3.5 billion more than in Budget 2020. From 2020 to 2025, gross voted expenditure is expected to be a cumulative total of €42.5 billion higher than in Budget 2020.

Outlining non-core expenditure of €2.5 billion for Covid-related spending and €1.5 billion for ‘automatic stabilisers’ in instances of higher unemployment in 2022, the SPU indicates that this is expected to decrease as the economy recovers in the years beyond.

Similarly, EU funds, including the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (€1.1 billion in 2022) and the Recovery and Resilience fund (€800 million from 2022 to 2024) are anticipated to be absorbed by capital expenditure and are, therefore, considered to be non-core.

Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) analysis suggests that the SPU’s scant detail in expenditure is only partially masked by its technical spending scenario. As such, it breaches the spirit of spending reforms such as ministerial

eolas issues

4 43

Credit: Sinn Fein.

issues eolas

policy change. If introduced, such measures could increase the deficit relative to baseline estimates. However, unlike in Budget 2021, alternative ‘downside’ scenario estimates have not been included in the SPU. The SPU projects that Ireland’s gross General Government Debt (GGD) will be 2.8 per cent of GDP in 2022 (€11.5 billion), 0.2 per cent below the deficit threshold established in EU fiscal rules, which are currently suspended. If this GGB projection is realised, Ireland could avoid triggering an excessive deficit procedure when the suspension ends.

“Today was an opportunity to put forward a credible and ambitious plan to address the challenges we faced before this pandemic, and that have been exacerbated by it. To end the housing crisis created

by Fine Gael, to ensure that our children no longer sit in the most crowded classrooms in Europe, to tackle a decade of underinvestment and mismanagement in our hospitals by successive governments. To take advantage of the low cost of debt-financing in order to invest in infrastructure across the country, boosting regional development and an inclusive recovery.

“Today’s report failed to provide that ambition, with no credible path of how the Government can deliver on the needs of workers and families over the next five years.”

Sinn Féin spokesperson on finance Pearse Doherty TD

expenditure ceilings and the Spending Review.

“There is no indication of what spending is needed to ‘stand still’ i.e. maintain public services at their current level and thus what funds are available for new policies. There is little analysis of medium-term spending pressures or costing of new policies. Without such analysis the spending figures lack a degree of credibility,” the PBO concluded.

Spending risks identified in the SPU as being medium- and high-likelihood are: Covid-related budgetary pressures; an ageing population; EU budget contributions; litigation risk; and climate action targets.

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eolas issues

Government debt Contrary to Budget 2021, the SPU has revised General Government Revenue (GGR) up by 2.1 per cent, while General Government Expenditure (GGE) has been revised down by 0.6 per cent, narrowing the estimated deficit by €2.4 billion to €18.1 billion or 4.7 per cent of GDP for 2021.

Beyond 2021, GGR is projected to increase by 7.4 per cent in 2021 and grow by an average of 4.5 per cent between 2022 and 2025. Meanwhile, as Covid supports come to an end, GGE is anticipated to decrease by 2.6 per cent in 2022 and 0.9 per cent in 2023.

While additional stimulus measures could be introduced to mitigate potential scarring, the SPU’s estimates assume no

In 2020, the public spending increases required to mitigate the pandemic culminated in increased government debt. This increase is expected to continue out to 2025.

While uncertainty shrouds the actual deficit for 2021, the SPU estimates a €20.7 billion increase in 2021 followed by an €8.1 billion increase in 2022. Public indebtedness is projected to total €262.9 billion by 2025, a significant increase on the figure of €204.2 billion in 2019. This would position Ireland’s debt-income ratio among the highest in the developed world.

However, Debt-to-GNI*, a key metric of debt sustainability, is forecast to decrease from 111.8 per cent of GNI* (€293.3 billion) in 2021 to 100 per cent in 2025. Amid strong growth projections and low borrowing costs, the additional debt can be regarded as ‘sustainable’.

Additionally, the PBO contends that “fiscal consolidation may not be required to ensure that the debt burden is on a sustainable path” because of the longterm maturity profile and fixed rates of a significant portion of Irish debt.

Post-pandemic, “a prioritisation of growth enhancing measures” should place the debt burden on a sustainable trajectory over the coming decade. While the current debt burden can be interpreted as sustainable, the additional debt could restrict fiscal flexibility in the event of another economic shock requiring significant government borrowing.

Transport report

Sponsored by

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The evolving needs of the transport consumer horizon post-Covid has been brought into clear focus, employees want flexible working arrangements which means that both government and employers must make strong strategic choices regarding the future workplace and review and revise national development and investment plans. The crisis has been devastating in many respects, however there is an opportunity which must be maximised for real accelerated change and make Ireland a great place to live, work and invest. Future plans must take into consideration all societal priorities of net-zero carbon emissions and overall quality of life including the opportunity for accelerating regional employment.

Customer engagement

Brian Mahony, Director for Transport.

Abtran’s Brian Mahony, Director for Transport and Sanjay Pahuja, Director of Workforce Planning reflect on how the year 2020 will be remembered both for the most devastating pandemic in living history and for the effect on the way we live, the way we work, and as a consequence on the way we travel.

The way we work

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Not since the Industrial Revolution has a global event had more impact on our working lives. Industrialisation brought with it the understanding that we are more effective when we work together.

Craft economies gave way to the new industrial landscape and eventually developing the corporate structures of today. Based on values of collaboration, shared goals and a pooling of skills-sets and resources, the office environment flourished, and the knowledge-based economy was established.

46

Not wishing to lose sight of these ideals, we are now faced with a new working reality, which while still championing collaborative work practices and the collective effort, needs to embrace a new global reality. The pandemic has resulted in a seismic move to remote working which was already well underway pre- pandemic. In our organisation, we mobilised 95 per cent of our team to work remotely within three weeks at the beginning of the restrictions.

Now, with over a year of hindsight, the

In Abtran, we have seen a considerable change in customer demand in our transport sector as a direct result of the pandemic. Many of those trends were short-term and required an agile response to rapidly evolving public service requirements, others are indicative of a new way that the public want to engage and changing consumer behaviours and motivations.

Digital adoption, already a key growth objective for our transport clients has seen significant acceleration since the start of the pandemic. Covid-19 caused a sharp and immediate decline in inperson interactions and digital channels have bridged the gap for customers.

Now more than ever, consumers are time pressed and environmentally aware, they expect to be able to complete transactions end to end digitally, such as an application, buying a ticket, pay for a service and access customer support. More digital engagement presents opportunities for more automation. Accompanying that is the requirement for a highly skilled and engaged workforce to support complex customer queries.

Credit Lucas Miguel.

transport report

The future of connectivity and mobility post-Covid eolas invited four senior players within the Irish transport sector to discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their respective organisations and the future and recovery ahead for the sector.

“Like all industries, it’s been a tough year for us,” Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann says. “Like all public services, we continued delivering services for essential workers, students etc. We had to pivot quickly to ensure the safety of both staff and customers. While the majority of our 4,100 staff are frontline, we did manage to get about 18 per cent to work remotely during that time, within two weeks we had them offsite, and they remain offsite.”

While all participants in the discussion are keen to express admiration for the work undertaken by their staffs throughout such a challenging period, a recurring topic is how the pandemic has affected passenger numbers across the various types of transport in Ireland.

“It has been an absolute disaster; our sector has been ravaged,” says Dalton

48

Philips, Chief Executive of daa, which manages both Dublin and Cork airports.

“In terms of passenger numbers, we are down 90 per cent on pre-Covid figures.

If you take Dublin Airport today, traditionally at this time of year you would have 100,000-115,000 passengers per day going through the airport, we’re down to around 10,000 per day. In terms of the financial situation, we lost nearly €300 million last year, and we avail of government supports in terms of wage subsidy schemes but we have to carry our own water in terms of everything else.”

Ciarán Rogan, Director of Commercial and Business Development with Dublin Bus, experienced similar capacity issues but says that the agility lessons within the quick adjustment were worthwhile: “From the very outset, business dropped 90 per cent in terms of passenger numbers. We’re sitting at

roughly 50 per cent at the moment so there has been some recovery but the toll that has taken economically has been huge. I would echo that we had support from the NTA and the Department. As an organisation, we have learned to become very agile very quickly. We had to make changes with the way we worked and how we communicate to passengers because of the changes to our capacity and we had to do that very quickly.”

Conor O’Dowd, CEO of the Port of Galway, says that the port did not suffer the same extent of damage due to its role in the maintenance of Ireland’s supply chain. He does, however, note that the port’s carparking business was affected: “One interesting thing was that we have a very significant parking business, and you would not get a better economic activity barometer than our car park

machines. In the case of a new lockdown or the easing of restrictions, you would certainly notice that in your take.”

“Looking at case studies from around the world at places that have experienced Covid in advance of us or come out the other end quicker, cities in China and New Zealand, the message is that things still haven’t come back to pre-Covid levels of passenger numbers,” Rogan says. “90 per cent is considered to be a result. A big thing is figuring out at what stage employment patterns return to normal, as I go through Dublin, I still see large office blocks completely empty. Even if people are working from home one day per week, that’s still a 20 per cent reduction in terms of commuting numbers.”

Philips says that airport projections show the potential for even lower passenger numbers in 2021 when compared with 2020. While pent-up demand for visiting friends and relatives and taking holidays will surely explode when possible, Philips does see drawbacks in the form of a reduction in business travel: “The business model has changed, and I think you’re going to see a lot of people travelling initially for business because they haven’t been able to for a year and a half, but I think longer-term you’re talking about a 25 per cent or 30 per cent reduction in business travel because people will be using technology instead.”

For Meade and Iarnród Éireann, who have also suffered falls in passenger numbers, there is opportunity in less busy trains and tracks. “We look at it slightly different as railway custodians, because we have, for probably the first time we have the opportunity to build capacity of our network ahead of demand, we’re normally trying to catch up,” he says. “We’re about to approve a framework for 750 new vehicles which will be either electric or battery electric. Projects have continued during

transport report

As things begin to turn towards recovery from the economic damage wrought by the pandemic, the transport sector knows that it must be patient with regard to returning to pre-Covid passenger numbers. 2024 appears to be the agreed-upon target year for numbers to return to 100 per cent of 2019 levels.

“A big thing is figuring out at what stage employment patterns return to normal, as I go through Dublin, I still see large office blocks completely empty. Even if people are working from home one day per week, that’s still a 20 per cent reduction in terms of commuting numbers.”

Ciarán Rogan, Director of Commercial and Business Development, Dublin Bus Covid, we’ve been doing the work behind the scenes and now they have been approved by our board and are going through the government processes. That’s the next step for us, creating the capacity so people can get back to transport.”

Philips states that Brexit is “absolutely

In both the situation as it exists and the renewable agenda that has become so important, O’Dowd also sees an opportunity for the Port of Galway, which is developing a “new port facility that will enable the development of 17 acres of prime inner-city lands”.

“There’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Irish ports and the Irish economy to use ports in an offensive capacity to cater for the renewable energy opportunity. We’re seeing the build out on the east coast but as time evolves, we will see the building of capacity off the south and west coasts.

It’s so important for a company such as ours to learn from industry leaders, where ports are being redeveloped in to cater for the deliverance of offshore wind in places like Norway and Denmark.”

help from regulators, Philips says: “In

a negative” for daa, with one-third of its business being done with UK business.

In the case of sustainability, daa has decreased its emissions by 50 per cent, but will need to reduce by a further 50 per cent by 2030, a task that requires our case, we don’t set our charges that we levy on airlines to come in and out of Dublin Airport, that’s set by the regulator, who needs to be attuned to the sustainability challenge because in the longer-term, it can pay for itself but in the shorter-term, there’s a huge cost involved in updating legacy buildings, putting new infrastructure that supports a cleaner environment in. If we’ve got a regulator that doesn’t take that into account and airlines that are only interested in the short-term, we won’t be able to invest in sustainable infrastructure.”

Concluding, Rogan sounds a positive note and something of a call to action for the sector as transport prepares to

The green agenda and Brexit were the two externalities defining the market that each of the participants work in before Covid, and they will once again play defining roles as transport looks to recover. “We have the cross-border service with Belfast, and we had to ensure that the changes we were experiencing were seamless from a customer’s perspective,” Meade says, before turning to climate. “The DART+ programme is going to triple the electrified area of the Greater Dublin Area and double the capacity. What that means from a passenger perspective is that 80 per cent of passenger journeys will be green at the point of consumption.”

take on the three-headed dog of Brexit, Covid and climate change: “More people are going to have to move from the car to mass transit so that’s bound to increase passenger numbers on trains and buses. That’s completely consistent with BusConnects, which envisages a 23 per cent increase in passenger numbers within Greater Dublin in the next four years.

Sustainability will drive big wins for public transport and the time is now to make the improvements, put the investments in, improve the infrastructure and increase the capacity.”

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Sustainable transport increases before pandemic transport report

The Department of Transport’s Transport Trends 2020 report depicts a sector that was recording falls in private transport and increases in sustainable, public, and active transport use in Ireland before the outbreak of the pandemic.

€4.7 billion transport

The year 2019 showed a decrease in the number of kilometres travelled by private car journey, as well as an increase in sustainable and active modes of transport, the report shows. Total kilometres driven on Irish roads and private car kilometres both showed decreases of 1 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively in 2019.

108,000 people employed

Complementary to this, there was a 3 per cent rise in the number of public transport passenger journeys on the four main state operators in 2019, a total of 326.1 million.

The National Transport Authority’s annual Canal Cordon Count estimates a 4.8 per cent annual increase in active modes of transport (cycling and walking) in 2019 in Dublin.

revenue in 2019, a 1.4 per cent increase

in transport and storage in Q4 2019

24,616 electric vehicles on the road in October 2020, a 59.9 per cent increase

12 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from transport, a 0.3 per cent decrease

82 per cent fall in

passenger journeys on public transport during pandemic

30 per cent fall in

maritime freight volume during pandemic

90 per cent fall in flights in and out of Ireland during pandemic

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In terms of the sector’s carbon footprint, approximately 12.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent were emitted in 2019, a decrease of 0.3 per cent from 2018. Under existing measures, the Environmental Protection Agency projects that this figure will drop to 11.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emitted annually from the transport sector by 2030. If the emissions target set out under the current Programme for Government is achieved, then this figure will fall significantly to 6.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The total number of passengers coming in and out of Irish airports increased again in 2019, with a total of 38.1 million passengers, a 4.8 per cent rise on 2018 levels.

Conversely, the total amount of air freight handled at Ireland’s main airports fell by 7.2% from 157,400 tonnes in 2018 to 146,000 tonnes in 2019.

Decreases were also seen in maritime activity, where the number of vessels arriving at Irish ports decreased by 2.4 per cent in 2019 to 12,952 vessels, although the gross tonnage of vessels increased by 5.4 per cent to 278.8 million tonnes. A 3.4 per cent annual decrease in the amount of freight handled at Irish ports was also recorded in 2019. Data from the Central Statistics Office shows that the number of maritime passengers, which excludes cruise ship passengers on excursion, coming in or out of Irish ports fell by 0.8 per cent to 2.6 million in 2019, while the number of cruise ship passengers rose by 8.5 per cent in 2019.

Covid-19 Covid-19 “caused severe disruption” to the Irish transport sector in 2020 according to the report, which includes the caveat that the full effect of the pandemic on the aviation, maritime and land transport sectors will not become clearer until 2022’s Transport Trends report at the earliest.

There was also a fall in the average daily traffic volumes of 58.8 per cent between March and April. Public transport passenger volumes and traffic levels are said to “have increased slowly as restrictions were eased and have fallen once again as new travel restrictions were imposed”.

2019

2016

transport report

Following the international travel restrictions imposed in March 2020, the number of flights in and out of Ireland fell by 90 per cent compared to 2019 levels, freight volumes through Irish ports fell by approximately 30 per cent in April 2020 compared to 2019 and average daily passenger numbers for the four main public transport operators also fell by 82 per cent over the period March to April. It is estimated that over 167,000 flights were “lost” in the first 10 months of 2020, with a record low of 59 flights in one day. The first nine months of the year showed a decrease of 75 per cent in passenger numbers in comparison with the same period in 2019. Shannon Airport was the hardest hit of all Irish airports, operating at 30.5 per cent of capacity by the end of September 2020.

Percentage of journeys by mode of transport (Source: CSO)

2014

2013

2012 0.00%

20.00% Private car

40.00%

60.00%

Public transport

80.00%

Walk/cycle

100.00%

Other

Average household transport costs, 2018 (Source: European Commission) Vehicle

Vehicle running

Transport services

€ €

€ 907 €

€ € EU

IRELAND

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transport report

NTA making a difference in rural Ireland There are gaps, and now we want to go about addressing that. That’s what Connecting Ireland is all about.

Connecting Ireland aims to improve mobility in rural areas by improving the existing bus networks, adding new bus services, and enhancing the current Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) network. In so doing, it will also increase passenger journeys throughout the country, creating opportunities for balanced economic growth and stronger regional development.

Anne Graham, NTA Chief Executive Officer.

Connecting Ireland is the National Transport Authority’s plan to increase public transport connectivity between cities and towns and their surrounding villages and rural areas. Under the proposals, the number of services is set to increase, and so too will overall capacity, making bus transport more useful to more people than ever before. Later this year, NTA will embark on a consultation process around Connecting Ireland, a programme that, as NTA Chief Executive Officer Anne Graham explains, seeks to change the face of public transport in rural Ireland.

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When people think of the NTA, they very often think of the work we do around investment in public transport infrastructure and the funding of public transport services in our major urban centres. But there’s more to NTA than BusConnects, MetroLink, Luas and DART. NTA also has a major role in providing public transport for people in regional towns, local villages, and rural areas as part of our Transport for Ireland (TFI) network.

TFI Local Link buses for example, already operate in every county, providing vital connectivity and serving 52

thousands of destinations every day.

Operations are funded and supported by the NTA and managed at local level by people who are most familiar with their own communities. In 2019, our Local Link services carried a record 2.5 million passengers.

But there are gaps. Not every person has a bus that can get them to their local village in the morning and back by lunch time. Not every person has a convenient way to get to their closest regional town.

Not every person has a useful and frequent connection into the greater national public transport network.

The current TFI network provides a significant level of spatial coverage outside cities, but nonetheless, over a quarter of the population are either not served at all or only have access to a limited range of public transport services.

By addressing and filling these gaps in the public transport network, Connecting Ireland will revitalise rural public transport by better connecting villages, towns, and rural settlements to their nearest city without requiring the use of a car.

Benefits of Connecting Ireland As part of the Connecting Ireland initiative, the NTA has completed a comprehensive assessment of the existing network of regular public transport services operating across the country on a county-by-county basis.

This has given us a clear understanding of how well public transport currently serves our towns and villages in terms of service level at certain times and days of the week. We believe that there is significant potential to further encourage public transport usage in rural communities and that by providing additional services that are more useful to more people, we can tap into that potential.

But Ireland is not densely populated.

Outside the major urban centres Ireland’s settlement pattern is distributed in a highly dispersed manner. That makes it difficult to organise public

transport services to cater to everyone’s needs in a cost-effective way. In very isolated rural areas, the demand for travel may be so low as to preclude the provision of traditional bus services.

These needs may be more readily met by innovative means, such as demand responsive services, local hackney services or community car schemes.

The recent success of the NTA’s Rural Transport Programme, TFI Local Link, demonstrates the potential for a more connected rural Ireland. Local Link provides access to essential services, leisure facilities, education, and tourist destinations and under Connecting Ireland we want to significantly expand those benefits through a process of network development.

“Connecting Ireland aims to improve mobility in rural areas by improving the existing bus networks, adding new bus services, and enhancing the current Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) network. In so doing, it will also increase passenger journeys throughout the country, creating opportunities for balanced economic growth and stronger regional development.”

As part of our network development process, we will apply the following underlying principles, standards, and objectives: •

Increase frequency on existing routes to attract more passengers;

•

Provide a useful minimum level of service on new routes, and do more than that where higher patronage is likely;

•

Design useful timetables;

•

Schedule services to arrive at a centre before 09:00, particularly for work and education trips;

•

Allow for a midday return, particularly for those shopping, attending health appointments, or visiting friends and family; Allow for a return from home at around 17:30 and later;

•

Provide opportunities for socialising and retail later where potential is higher;

•

Provide services seven days a week;

•

Develop local routes to connect smaller settlements with the regional public transport network, offering more interchange opportunities with longer distance bus and rail services; and

•

Serve key locations within towns e.g. hospitals, train stations, Institutes of Technology, etc.

These principles will help guide improvements to fixed route bus services. In sparsely populated areas fixed routes will not always be an appropriate solution but expansion of the DRT network and looking at innovative approaches to improve public transport connectivity in these areas may well be, if we are to effectively connect outlying areas with their nearest town.

•

The enhanced network will greatly improve interconnectivity between settlements, and we believe that early Connecting Ireland deliverables could include:

•

•

quality, accessible, sustainable transport

50 per cent of the rural population with a service within 400 metres of their home that provides at least three return trips per day;

17 per cent of the rural population with improved mobility by the provision of demand responsive and other innovative transport services;

•

Over 100 new connections from

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•

transport report

Other factors complicating the delivery of effective public transport in rural Ireland include the trend of an aging population who suffer diminished mobility and the tendency of young people to leave these areas to pursue employment and education in towns and cities.

Connecting Ireland gives us an opportunity to examine all of these variables.

local centres to rural hinterlands; •

Over 100 new connections to and from county towns; and Dozens of new connections from regional centres and cities.

The objectives of Connecting Ireland are derived from the NTA’s Vision to ‘provide connecting people across Ireland’. From this point of view, the key objectives of

4

the project are: 53

transport report

“The current TFI public transport network coverage outside of the cities is better than it has ever been, but if we are to make public transport more useful for rural communities, more needs to be done.”

Economic: To develop a framework for continued delivery and management of a fit-for-purpose all Ireland public transport network outside of the major metropolitan areas.

Network development: To implement a system of monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the public transport network responds to changes in the factors influencing the demand for transport over time.

Integration: To improve all elements of integration of the transport network so as to provide more opportunities for interchange and thereby increase the range and variety of destinations accessible within a reasonable journey time.

Regional connectivity: To improve regional connectivity (particularly in areas currently underserved) through enhancements to the public transport network.

Social progress: •

•

•

To contribute to a reduction in rural isolation by providing an alternative to the private car for social trips and thereby improve road safety by providing a safe way home; To support public policy on developing the night-time economy; and To contribute to reducing deprivation across rural Ireland.

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Accessibility: To provide improved access to goods, services, employment, and education opportunities for all people in all communities in Ireland at a level appropriate to the size of the community and in line with national planning policy.

In particular to:

54

•

Reduce transport deprivation and car dependency;

•

Increase the accessibility of more people to more employment and education opportunities and services;

•

Provide levels of connectivity appropriate to the scale and function of settlements;

•

Provide access to transport services for all users including those with restricted mobility; and

•

Provide affordable transport options.

Counterbalance: To improve the competitiveness of key towns, regional centres, and cities outside the Greater Dublin Area and to balance economic development and support rural development.

Environmental: •

To encourage the use of sustainable transport options;

•

To provide a viable alternative to the private car and thereby encourage a shift to more sustainable transport modes; and

•

To reduce the contribution to Climate Change by the transport sector by reducing the use of the private car for mobility.

So, it is clear that Connecting Ireland key component of NTA’s overall plan for public transport and is fully aligned with major national policy programmes and policy frameworks including the National Development Plan, the Climate Action Plan, the Programme for Government and the Rural Development Policy.

Under the National Development Plan, investment in public transport for rural areas is identified as a critical component of strengthening rural economies and communities.

The Climate Action Plan has mandated a new rural transport strategy to include a

comprehensive assessment of rural travel demand, and the development of proposals for an integrated public transport network. The transport sector is one of the largest contributors to Ireland’s carbon emissions. Our reliance on the car is the key reason. Seven out of every 10 trips undertaken in Ireland are by car, including half of all trips under 2km. We need to change our habitual travel behaviour, leave the car at home more often, and use sustainable modes.

The Programme for Government 2020 makes a specific commitment for the development and implementation of a sustainable rural mobility plan. This includes the introduction of a public transport service standard under which all settlements over a certain size in terms of population, combined with employment or education places, will have a service connecting them to the national public transport system. This service standard is to be informed by the Connecting Ireland research being carried out by the NTA. Finally, the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, published earlier this year, provides for improved rural transport services.

“Connectivity, whether through transport links or digital connectivity, is hugely important for people who live and work in rural areas,” it says. “Improvement and further integration of rural public transport services will enable people to continue to live in rural areas and to access work, education and social activities.”

It goes on to make a commitment to protect and expand regional bus connectivity and connectivity between towns and villages in rural Ireland.

The current TFI public transport network coverage outside of the cities is better than it has ever been, but if we are to make public transport more useful for rural communities, more needs to be done. Two out of five of the population live within 400 metres of a route or service that allows a minimum of at least three return trips every weekday, allowing people to get somewhere by public transport at different times of the day and not just for work and education purposes. However, some 26 per cent of the population are either not served at all or are served by a limited amount of public transport services. This means that for a lot of people, a commute to work or education by public transport is less likely to be an option.

transport report

Under Connecting Ireland our ambition is to tackle this by connecting more people to more places. Our analysis has helped us to pinpoint what types of settlement are well connected and where the gaps are. County towns and other local centres are well connected to cities and regional centres. In the future they have an obvious function as transport hubs and to be integrated with routes that serve smaller settlements.

The results for villages are more mixed with four in 10 villages not well connected to their nearby bigger town by public transport. Our analysis also shows that across counties there is some variety in the levels of connectivity. Some of this can be explained by the local geography but in some cases the disparity in service is due to missing elements in the public transport network.

For the best part of a year, we have been working closely with officials in local authorities, regional assemblies, and other public agencies, so that we can be confident that our analysis of the

And even if we can’t meet people face to

Transport providers who are already operating in rural areas are very well placed to provide us with knowledge and awareness as to what passenger current and future needs may be, and this is a resource that as far as NTA is concerned, is hugely valuable as an input into the Connecting Ireland process. This includes our Local Link Transport Co-ordination Units; Public Service Obligation operators such as Bus Éireann; as well as the commercial sector.

the case.

face during this consultation process, we hope to be able to reach out to the public through the likes of online public meetings, surveys, and engagement with public representatives and local media.

Establishing partnerships and opening channels of collaboration and discussion have been key to the early stages of our consultation, and that will continue to be

Once an agreed service plan has been developed following the consultations, the work of the Authority will then move to delivery and subject to the provision of funding our ambition is to commence that delivery in 2022

T: +353 1 879 8300 E: ceo@nationaltransport.ie

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Thanks to Connecting Ireland, we can now begin to identify and address those disparities but revamping an entire transport network is not something that we in the NTA can or should tackle on our own. While the NTA is well positioned to look at the big picture and determine what the overall national approach should be, the insight and expertise that is available to us at local level is something that we want to make sure is fully reflected in our plans.

current and future needs of public transport users in rural areas, properly reflects plans and expectations at a county and regional level. We have provided them with an overview of what our plans will mean nationally, and how we hope they will make a positive impact for them at local level. For their part, they have provided us with very useful insight into their own development ambitions so we can all make sure that plans are working with each other and not against.

W: www.nationaltransport.ie Perhaps the most valuable input we will get is that from members of the public and public representatives, and later this year we will be publishing for public consultation the Connecting Ireland plan.

In our documentation, we will be outlining the ambitions we have for public transport in rural Ireland, and we will be looking to our customers, members of local communities in rural Ireland as well as representative organisations and interest groups, for their feedback and insight on what we are proposing.

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In focus: Airports and ports As expected, the latest CSO Ireland figures for aviation indicate that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on international travel in 2020 with almost 30 million fewer passengers using Irish airports compared with 2019. Simultaneously, passenger numbers passing through Irish ports slumped by 69 per cent, while total tonnage of goods handled and the number of vessels arriving in Irish ports also decreased.

Aviation statistics 2020 Number of passengers handled by main Irish airports in 2019:

38,053,418

Number of passengers handled by main Irish airports in 2020:

Change in number of passengers handled by main Irish airports:

56

8,293,330

-78.2%

Number of flights handled by

Change in number of flights

Ireland’s main airports in

Ireland’s main airports in

handled by Ireland’s main

273,000

Tonnage of freight handled

2020:

95,000

airports:

Passenger distribution by airport (%) 2020

by Ireland’s main airports in 2020:

138,787

-65.2%

3.3

3.1 Credit: CSO Ireland

2019:

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Number of flights handled by

6.3

Representing a decrease of

11.8% in 2020 when compared with 2019

87.3

g Dublin

g Shannon g Cork g Other

Most popular routes for passengers in 2020 Airport

Route

Dublin

London-Heathrow and Amsterdam-Schiphol

Cork

London-Heathrow and London-Stansted

Shannon

London-Stansted

Knock

London-Stansted

Kerry

London-Luton

4 Credit: CSO 57

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Port traffic 2020 Tonnage of goods handled by

Tonnage of goods handled by

main Irish ports in 2019:

main Irish ports in 2020:

53,240

51,364

Number of vessels arriving in

Number of vessels arriving in

Irish ports in 2019:

Irish ports in 2020:

Change in number of vessels arriving in Irish ports:

12,952

11,855

-8.5%

Gross tonnage of all vessels

By region of trade, Great Britain and Northern Ireland accounted

arriving in 2020:

254.6

Change in tonnage of goods handled main Irish ports:

-3.5%

39% of total tonnage of goods handled by Irish ports while other EU countries accounted for 36.3% for

Passengers that passed

Passengers that passed

Change in number of

through Irish ports in 2019:

through Irish ports in 2020:

passengers that passed

2.645 million

814,000

through Irish ports:

-69%

Tonnage of goods handled by Irish ports 2018-2020 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Liquid Bulk

Dry Bulk

Lift-on/Lift-off

Roll-on/Roll-off

Break bulk and other goods

Credit: CSO Ireland

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g 2018

g 2019 g 2020

Total

Integrated, Sustainable and Accessible Mobility as a Service

Providing integrated and sustainable transport is vital for our recovery from the impact of Covid- 19, slowing climate change and maintaining strong societal cohesion, outlines Gary Sayers, Abtran’s Chief Operating Officer.

In recent years, climate change has come further to the fore of public discourse and global leaders have realised that they must take the lead to make a positive impact. Both collectively and individually, we are becoming more cognisant of our responsibilities. Significant targets have been set nationally to mitigate the impact of climate change and providing sustainable transport solutions will be fundamental to achievement of these targets.

Home working is set to be a feature of the lives of travel users into the future, they will be commuting less and want direct access to more goods and services within a smaller radius. Close attention is required on how to adapt transport investment to enable more accessibility and choice for the transport user. The rate of recovery has shown to be slower for public transport than car journeys, largely for public health

Initiatives such as decarbonised public transport fleets are already evident on our roads, while the competitive market for electric vehicles has meant an improvement in the range available to the consumer and the percentage of EVs on our roads is getting larger, albeit at a steady rate. Investment in fast charging infrastructure, incentivization and strong public communication are crucial to growing the electric vehicles on our roads.

With the addition of digitally integrated solutions and public and private goal alignment, the Mobility as a Service vision can be realised, bringing with it the ability to achieve climate action targets. Linking transport modes is a vital enabler to this objective. Traditional public transport will remain the cornerstone and integrated ticketing and scheduling will provide significant benefits to our society, economy, and climate.

The new concept of shared vehicle mobility has enormous potential to ease the need for private cars, in combination with a move to electric. The time is now to consider how to structure, support and grow the adoption of shared mobility and how public and private organisations can work together to deliver services which will both make transport accessible and sustainable into the future.

T: +353 21 2301800 E: info@abtran.com W: www.abtran.com Twitter: @abtranglobal

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The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the reliance we have on transport for both work and supply chains, and with populations increasing, demand for transport is expected to double globally by 2050. How Covid will impact on longer term travel trends is yet uncertain and while demand did drop in

2020 due to public health restrictions, there will shortly be a return to prepandemic levels of traffic and public transport usage. As the economy recovers, our sustainability targets must be central to investment, indeed it presents a platform to reimagine the future of transport and be more ambitious in realising an integrated sustainable transport outlook.

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reasons. This poses a risk that public transport routes will be reduced and the reliance on the road network increased.

Targeted stimulus packages, which include green incentives can stem any potential move away from the growth of recent years.

In his role as COO, Gary has overall responsibility for Abtran’s operational delivery including eCars customer support. He ensures that Abtran maintains service excellence through consistent, industry leading delivery solutions. Gary has over 12 years of experience in Customer Service Management in several sectors and has a primary degree in the area of Sustainable Energy Technology.

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Active travel agenda on the move at Fingal County Council

Since the creation, in late 2020, of an Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel Department by Fingal County Council significant progress has been made in developing the active travel agenda by the local authority.

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The new department has responsibility for mobility planning and the delivery of the National Transport Authority’s cycle network within the county, while also overseeing Climate Action, the enforcement of environmental regulations and the protection and promotion of the environment across the county.

Active travel is travelling with a purpose using your own energy which usually means walking or cycling as part of a purposeful journey. The Council’s objective is to build active travel into everyday life as part of normal daily 60

work they are doing on greenways knits with the active travel philosophy. Our role is not just to build cycle lanes or provide safe routes to school, we are really working to change behaviour and create a vision of our towns and villages where active travel is the primary means of travel and everyone can safely and easily avail of walking and cycling facilities.”

Director of Services, David Storey, heads the department and is supported by a team who bring skills in planning and strategic infrastructure, community engagement, communications, and administration.

There are several major greenway projects underway including a flagship amenity, the Fingal Costal Way, which will extend 32km from Newbridge Demesne to Balbriggan and deliver a safe, attractive, first class coastal pedestrian and cycle route. The route is to be predominantly a leisure and tourist amenity but will also serve as a local commuter route. The second stage of public consultation recently ended and preliminary designs will be developed throughout 2021 with further public consultation due to take place early next year.

“Collaboration is key to the work we are doing in active travel,” says Storey. “We work very closely with our colleagues in strategic infrastructure to ensure the

Additional greenway projects under development and consultation at this time across Fingal include the Broadmeadow Greenway and the Royal

routines, and it is working to meet this goal by providing infrastructure and initiatives designed to promote active travel.

Canal Urban Greenway, which will link with Dublin and Kildare projects to form a key part of the wider Greenways Ireland network.

Summer 2021 has seen the expansion of Fingal’s bike-sharing scheme. Cyclists can now avail of Bleeperbike GPS enabled smart bikes in Swords, Malahide, Howth, Balbriggan, Donabate, Rush and Skerries. Using an app, users can register, find their nearest bike and unlock it. Without the docking stations associated with traditional bike share schemes, cyclists can park at any cycle parking stand near their destination and lock their bike manually.

Active travel is not only about delivering leisure and recreation amenities, it is also focussed on changing behaviour with a goal to promote cycling and walking as the preferred option for all journeys under 5km. Fingal County Council’s Active Travel team are modifying and, where needed, creating infrastructure to meet this goal. A residential satisfaction survey carried out

by RED C in 2019 showed 58 per cent of Fingal residents commute to work or college by car and only 11 per cent walk or cycle so there is still much work to be done in changing hearts and minds as well as providing infrastructure and facilities to enable that change.

The journey to school is just one area where the active travel team are seeing an appetite change. parents and schools alike have been enthusiastic about the development of safer routes to school for children. In 2018, Fingal County Council conducted research that showed 79 per

“We work very closely with our colleagues in strategic infrastructure to ensure the work they are doing on greenways knits with the active travel philosophy. Our role is not just to build cycle lanes or provide safe routes to school, we are really working to change behaviour and create a vision of our towns and villages where active travel is the primary means of travel and everyone can safely and easily avail of walking and cycling facilities.” David Storey, Director of Services for Environment, Climate Change and Active Travel, Fingal County Council.

cent of children were being driven to school, and RSA reports have supported these very high numbers stating that roads are ‘incredibly dangerous for small children’.

To combat the danger and encourage safe routes to school the active travel team has proposed several projects including School Streets, a temporary car free zone designed to combat school gate traffic congestion and road safety risks, and cycle buses, a volunteer led safe group cycle to school initiative.

Fingal’s first cycle bus launched this May at Castleknock Educate Together NS, with high praise and support from parents and children.

Other community centric programmes delivered by active travel include Gear Up for Training, an initiative encouraging cycling to training by sports club youth members and the upcoming Cycling Without Age programme which provides access to cycling experiences for elderly

and mobility impaired people using ‘tribike’ rides delivered by volunteers.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr David Healy, says active travel is a vital element in the future of Fingal: “Ten years from now I believe we will be enjoying cleaner, more environmentally friendly modes of transport as the norm. Cycling and walking are more sustainable, affordable and enjoyable than travelling by car and their popularity has already grown massively. Fingal County Council’s active travel strategy has put in place infrastructure and resources that empower people to make more active travel choices that can benefit their health and contribute to a bright future for our beautiful county.”

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Several protected cycle lane projects are currently underway in locations including Hartstown, Huntstown, Baldoyle and Rivervalley. These projects involve installing a blend of measures tailored to each area. Measures may include reflective bollards, new bus stop layouts and corner build-outs at junctions which reduce pedestrian crossing distances.

These measures are designed to provide people aged eight to 80 with confidence and an improved feeling of security when walking or cycling.

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Fingal County Council opened the Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway last year, serving residents and visitors. This project, delivered at a cost of €2.5 million with 50 per cent funding from the National Transport Authority, is the first phase of the Sutton to Malahide Greenway. This amenity has proven hugely popular with locals and visitors alike.

Fingal County Council T: 01 890 5000 W: www.fingal.ie S: @fingalcoco

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Cycling superhighways: European exemplars Cycle networks “as good as those in the Netherlands and Denmark” are needed if Ireland is to tackle its overreliance on the car, the Oireachtas Climate Action Committee has been told. eolas examines the infrastructure of the two countries that have become European exemplars of active travel.

“We need to design cycle networks as good as those in The Netherlands and Denmark,” Lynn Sloman, Director of Transport for Quality of Life and specialist in environmental and sustainable transport consulting, told the Oireachtas Climate Action Committee. “Growth in popularity of ebikes means longer cycle trips are feasible, and so cycle superhighways radiating out from towns for 15 kilometres or more should be part of a decarbonisation strategy.”

Cycling superhighways, also known as bike freeways, fast cycle routes, or bicycle highways, are bicycle paths meant for long-distance travel. Cycle superhighways feature an absence of single-level intersections with motorised traffic, road surfaces more suitable for

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cycling, typically asphalt or concrete, and no traffic lights. The routes are designed to offer an alternative for private travel to the car. They are typically separate from main roads and often follow the route of rail tracks.

The Oireachtas’s Climate Action Committee has recommended a 51 per cent emissions reduction target for transport by 2030 be adopted by the Government. Sloman’s recommendations were given as part of a series of hearings staged by the committee on how this goal can be achieved in a sector that accounts for 20 per cent of Ireland’s carbon emissions.

The kind of change needed to create more opportunities for active travel and

to have fewer cars on the road is politically difficult, Sloman admitted, but is a change that “creates more winners than losers, and particularly benefits the young, older people, those on a low income and women”. “Places that have implemented a road user charge find that once residents see how it improves their town or city, there is net support,” she said.

The Netherlands The Netherlands is one such place that has implemented a network of cycling superhighways that is often cited as an international example of the potential of these infrastructural projects. In the Netherlands, the following people can make use of their cycling superhighways:

cyclists: ordinary cyclists, recumbents, cargo bikes, velomobiles, pedelecs;

•

riders of motorised bicycles, with a maximum speed of 25 km/hour;

•

in some locations, mopeds are permitted with a maximum speed of 40 km/h;

•

pedestrians in the case of missing footpaths and pavement;

•

Segway riders; and

•

drivers of a disabled vehicle, with a maximum speed of 30km/h applied.

The Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management provides guidelines for the development of cycling superhighways, which it describes as “a long cycle path without crossings, on which cyclists can travel long distances”. The Netherlands has almost 35,000km of cycling paths that are physically separate from motor traffic, approximately a quarter of the country’s 140,000km cycling path network.

In areas with these dedicated cycling paths, use of them is obligatory for cyclists. Mopeds are also obliged to use the paths, with a blue license plate, when the maximum speed is 25km/h; in the case of maximum speed being 45km/h, with yellow license plates, mopeds are only allowed to use the cycle paths if that is indicated, which typically happens in more built-up areas. Bi-directional bike paths on one side of the road are common in towns as well as in the countryside, with the paths divided into two lanes by a dashed line and sometimes existing on both sides of the road in order to limit the number of times cyclists are forced to cross the road. Some routes feature tunnels lit with smart LEDs that connect with and respond to passing cyclists’ phones, with more frequent riders unlocking a greater number of pastel lighting choices.

Denmark Denmark has an estimated 7,000km of segregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes, with its four biggest cities alone accounting for more than 1,350km: 609km in Aalborg, 510km in Odense, 450km in Aarhus, and 412km in Copenhagen. The country also has a network of national cycle routes

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•

The entrance to the IJ Tunnel in Amsterdam.

“Places that have implemented a road user charge find that once residents see how it improves their town or city, there is net support.” featuring 11 routes in total.

A 2019 study found that, on average, the appearance of safe lanes in the superhighways in Copenhagen brought with them a 23 per cent increase in cyclists versus data stretching back to 2010. A survey of those using the routes found that 14 per cent of the new cyclists used to commute by car and that safe lanes had eliminated user bias, with 52 per cent of cyclists being women.

58 per cent of the Copenhagen population have a journey of less than 10km to make, and as such, cycling has proved popular in the Danish capital. 35 per cent now commute by bike, up from 29 per cent since 2010, although bicycle traffic levels have decreased by 5 per cent at national level.

It is estimated that every 11km cycle of the Allerød route in Copenhagen saves up to 2.8kg of CO2 over the same

journey by car. The proliferation of cycle routes is also said to have had positive health effects in Denmark, with 333 fewer sick days per day reported amongst the population. This is based on the calculation that for every 1,200km biked, one less sick day is reported. Factoring in the 11km of the Allerød cycle route, would burn on average 209 calories and electric bike users 124 calories.

Just 17km of cycling superhighway infrastructure existed in the region in 2012. This had risen to 38km by 2013 and 167km by 2019. 248km of superhighway is forecast to have been laid by 2022, with 680km due for 2030 over 750km by 2045.

Speeds on the superhighways average at 19km/h, with 400,000km covered per day and the number of cyclists counted on a weekday peaking at 29,000. 86 per cent make use of the network more than once weekly.

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Chief Executive Officer of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Sam Waide, discusses the transformational nature of the forthcoming government Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030.

Contextualising that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the modal shift of transport in Ireland, Waide, who took up post in September 2020, explains that the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 seeks to encompass and build upon emerging trends.

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Due to be published later in 2021, following public consultation at the end of 2020, the Vision Zero and Safe System approach is to be adopted in the Government’s fifth road safety strategy since 1998 and is identified by Waide as a new approach.

“There has been significant progress in road safety in Ireland in the reduction of both fatalities and serious injuries. In 1998, we recorded circa 470 fatalities, compared to 2020, when that figure was 149. That is a positive downward projection but going forward we need to go beyond the status quo. We need transformation within road safety,” explains Waide.

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The CEO says that transformation is necessitated by “ambitious” and “challenging” targets. The Programme for Government includes a promise to introduce the Vision Zero principle through the new road safety strategy and targets include a 50 per cent reduction in road fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 before a zero target for 2050.

“That’s a significant challenge given that we have made really good progress in Ireland with regards to road safety. It is a massive challenge and requires nothing less than transformation,” Waide explains. Adding: “That transformation must be societal and the strategy out to 2030 involves a wide range of government delivery bodies and stakeholders from communities to employers and employees, working in partnership.”

Waide addresses several key themes embedded in the strategy, including one which has been fed back from various

delivery partners and that is the increased need for data sharing to better inform decision-making and required interventions.

The RSA CEO believes that data and technology have a significant role to play in both road and wider public safety, specifically in relation to infrastructure. Pointing to inclusion in the strategy of international benchmarking, Waide says that better information for road users through invehicle technology and interconnectedness with traffic systems presents both opportunities and challenges for road safety.

Discussing the role of technology more broadly, he says: “Covid-19 has served to highlight that new technology can be embraced quickly when there is a pressing need. Through the likes of autonomous driving and in-vehicle technology, there will be an opportunity to embrace technology and leverage that for safety benefits. This opportunity also creates space for government and

government bodies to lead by example in their procurement of vehicles that have the highest Euro New Car Assessment Programme [NCAP] safety status.”

Despite the assumption that less travel in 2020 would automatically lead to less deaths and serious injuries on Ireland’s roads, Waide points to a recognition by the RSA of a continued prevalence of ‘dangerous behaviours’ on the roads in 2020. These include speeding, distractions, vehicle users not wearing a seatbelt and; in addition, An Garda Síochána has recorded a rise in drug and drink driving.

“These are behaviours we need to work in partnership to address and reduce.

That will come as a dual approach.

Firstly, working in a positive way to raise awareness of those behaviours and encourage change. Secondly, through enforcement, which will continue to be an important part of reducing those dangerous behaviours.”

A third key element of the strategy described by Waide is the inbuilt ability to “measure, monitor and recalibrate”.

“Our Vision Zero focus going forward is based on international best practice of safe systems and a major part of that is monitoring, reporting, and recalibrating, where necessary. Ten years is a longterm strategy and so we have proposed three phases within the strategy to allow for us to put in place the right governance and interventions for projects to ensure they are most effective and have a positive impact,” he explains.

The CEO points to a cognisance within the strategy of the importance of interconnectedness with various other government policies, including the climate change agenda and the modal shift in transport, driven by the pandemic.

“We need to be able to embrace the future of transport, including those emerging modes and interpret what that

“Ten years is a long-term strategy and so we have proposed three phases within the strategy to allow for us to put in place the right governance and interventions for projects to ensure they are most effective and have a positive impact.” means for road safety. That means assessing what legislative and regulatory changes are required to facilitate those different, cleaner modes of transport.”

Waide explains that part of this new interconnected approach is a focus on safer travel to work. Part of the governance structure being proposed by the RSA is working on an ongoing basis with employers to identify how they can support road safety initiatives and help change behaviours.

Broader interconnectedness will also aide with what Waide describes as the “policy and legislative challenge”.

Stressing that, at a minimum, government, departments and the RSA must ensure regulations keep pace with societal changes, he reiterates that greater data sharing should better inform and increase the pace of policy and legislation.

“If we cannot keep up with how things are changing both on our roads and with vehicle technology then that will be a growing challenge,” he asserts.

Waide is quick to point out that the RSA’s influence in improved road safety stretches further than Ireland. The RSA continues to work with the European Transport Safety Council and the EU

Commission on road safety. Highlighting the RSA’s influence on European policy, the Chief Executive points to their successful lobbying of EU member states which saw the timeframe for legislation on intelligent speed assistance within vehicles brought forward from 2027 to 2025.

“As an organisation we have a vision of becoming a centre of excellence for road safety in Ireland and leading road safety in Europe,” he explains.

Concluding Waide says that the forthcoming strategy is purposefully challenging and points to the inclusion of “transformational” targets that will require a wide range of extraordinary measures.

“Our main objective is challenging, but simple: Ireland can achieve Vision Zero, and lead other EU members and neighbouring countries by becoming an exemplar society in road safety. While confident of success, we are pragmatic and realise that change will take time.

Nonetheless, every positive step plays a part along the way,” he adds.

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Interconnectedness

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A second key theme is that of behavioural changes. The Chief Executive says that the pandemic has activated enhanced awareness of the need for protections for vulnerable road users, as more people walked and cycled. However, he stresses that the behaviours of all road users need to change and improve.

T: 096 25000 E: info@rsa.ie W: www.rsa.ie

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Credit: Luka Slapnicar

transport report

Decarbonising aviation The Covid-19 pandemic has posed an existential crisis for many sectors of the aviation industry; however, air travel will return. Yet, when the Covid crisis subsides, the climate crisis will loom larger than ever, and aviation must accelerate sustainability efforts.

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Overall, transport contributes almost 25 per cent of global energy-related CO2 emissions and the sector remains an EU climate target laggard. As travel and tourism returns, aviation will resume contributing around 3 per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Indeed, the European Commission projects that demand could push aviation’s GHG emissions 300 per cent above 2005 levels.

Established in 2019, the Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) Coalition seeks to provide a platform to identify and address decarbonisation challenges, driving sustainability in aviation. A public private partnership led by the World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Institute and the Energy Transitions Commission, its objective is to facilitate a transition to net zero flight by the middle of the 21st century.

feedstocks, such as municipal waste, waste lipids and agricultural residues, SAF has fuelled over 250,000 commercial flights and is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure.

Alongside cement, steel, plastic, road haulage and shipping, aviation in particualr is regarded as one of the hardest sectors to abate GHG emissions.

Alongside other ‘clean propulsion’ technologies, one steppingstone on the route to decarbonisation of aviation is the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels SAF. Synthesised from

In 2019, commercial airlines used 300 million tonnes of jet fuel, while only 200,000 tonnes of SAF were produced globally. Increased capacity relies on scaling alternative production pathways

It is unlikely that hybrid and hydrogen powered technology will develop beyond application in small aircraft in this decade. In the meantime, the CST Coalition has identified SAF as the most scalable alternative.

transport report

that require more abundant feedstocks.

As this occurs, costs will decline, though it is important to recognise that no single feedstock or pathway will provide sufficient yield.

However, one barrier to application of SAF at scale is an unwillingness or inability on behalf of producers and consumers to bear the initial cost burden required to achieve cost competitiveness in relation to fossil fuels.

As such, the cost of SAF is likely to continue to exceed the cost of refining fossil fuels. The central argument, however, is that if the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C or 2.0°C global warming targets are exceeded, the cost will be infinitely greater.

Through the CST Coalition, the World Economic Forum is contributing to the aviation industry’s transition by incentivising the intervention of leaders.

Sufficient production of SAF to fuel all aviation by 2030 will require economic viability and scaled production. Along the aviation value chain, the WEF has asserted that collaboration is required to deliver three crucial ingredients.

access to SAF for consumers,

1. Supportive policy framework: Policy interventions that stimulate experience curve effects and economies of scale would drive uptake of SAF while simultaneously delivering economic benefits.

Likewise, a policy bundle could incentivise investment and ensure sustainability criteria that inhibit potentially counter-productive repercussions from SAF development.

3. Innovative finance: The differential

meaning that the aviation industry could directly reduce emissions rather than relying on offsetting schemes.

cost between SAF and fossil jet fuel necessitates creative financing. A rapid transition requires collaboration between industry, investors, and lenders to produce a financing blueprint that mobilises capital and reduces investment risk.

Maintaining the status quo is no longer a viable strategy for aviation. While demand for air travel and the

2. Corporate and consumer demand: There is a growing willingness among corporate flyers to pay premium prices for sustainable transport. A scalable SAF marketplace could ease

associated social and economic benefits will return post-Covid, the industry must now coherently undertake its energy transition to deliver climate action obligations.

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transport report

Transdev awarded key energy certification management. Very importantly, it also makes a significant contribution to achieving Ireland’s carbon reduction goals.”

Transdev Dublin Light Rail (TDLR) was certified to ISO 50001 on 31 March 2021.

Transdev’s commitment TDLR has committed to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 30 per cent and a 32.5 per cent improvement in overall energy efficiency by 2030. This will represent an important contribution to the Irish Government’s targets in this area.

Seamus Egan, Managing Director, Transdev Dublin Light Rail.

Transdev Dublin Light Rail (TDLR) was awarded certification in ISO 50001 — Energy Management by SGS, the first time Luas, Dublin’s light rail network, has achieved this standard.

Moving You strategy

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Seamus Egan, Managing Director, said: “Achieving this certification in 2021 is even more rewarding for Transdev in Dublin as it embodies our global strategy which is referred to as Moving You.” This strategy is based around five pillars: •

People;

•

Performance;

•

Innovation;

•

Customers; and

•

Clients and Communities.

Eoghan Sweeney, Chief Performance Officer, also commented on the day of 68

the award: “This day is 15 years in the making and it is teamwork which got us here today. This certification not only shows our commitment to our client, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, but also the wider community, Luas commuters and Dublin City.

“The energy projects which we intend to work on will be innovative and lead the way, all as part of Transdev’s Moving You strategy.”

Sweeney continued: “As ISO 50001 is the energy management standard that is recognised worldwide, it enables us to demonstrate our commitment to energy improvement and to demonstrate we are top in class when it comes to energy

How will Transdev achieve this?

TDLR has undertaken a full review of operations and maintenance and compiled a list of opportunities for improvements within the most energyintense processes in the business. A feasibility study is now completed for any potential projects identified. Project teams are now formed to get the projects implemented as efficiently as possible.

Discussions are being held with the wider teams in TDLR on an ongoing basis to identify future energy efficiency projects that will help TDLR to achieve the ambitious targets it has set for 2030 and beyond. Detailed in this article are but some of the projects being considered or commenced.

Energy monitoring system TDLR is nearing completion of the installation of a new energy monitoring platform to enable the proactive monitoring of energy consumption for all operations. This will reduce reliance on our current system, and it will allow live proactive energy consumption monitoring at any location on the network. In the event of an energy spike

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“As ISO 50001 is the energy management standard that is recognised worldwide, it enables us to demonstrate our commitment to energy improvement and to demonstrate we are top in class when it comes to energy management. Very importantly, it also makes a significant contribution to achieving Ireland’s carbon reduction goals.” Eoghan Sweeney, Transdev Chief Performance Officer

or metering point going offline, we will be notified within 15 minutes of this allowing for proactive investigation and repair, reducing the potential for lost data and spikes in energy consumption.

This will also enable us to identify, implement and complete other energy efficiency projects, and accurately track and validate energy savings that will contribute to our overall energy consumption reduction targets in 2030 and beyond.

LED upgrade We are currently trialling LED retrofitting on trams to allow for better lighting for staff and customers. We are also rolling this out in Luas depots, including street lighting along the whole Luas network.

This will allow for a better aesthetic feel for everyone using the Luas network.

Heating and ventilation modification

Testing is also taking place on a new tram monitoring system that will enable us to identify other high energy consumers and look at more energy efficient alternatives.

Eco driving We are exploring the benefits of incorporating eco driving along the Luas

Solar PV We are currently looking at installing solar PV in Luas depots. This will enable us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel alternatives. This is another project that we can feed into our energy monitoring platform. It will allow us to see what we are generating each day and will prompt future improvements.

Depot heating We are also looking to improve the heating system in our maintenance areas. As can be imagined, these are large open areas that are difficult to heat as once doors are opened to let a tram in or out much of the heat also escapes.

An innovative solution will be required to get a much better system in place that can operate to our needs but also contribute to our energy efficiency targets.

Commenting on these initiatives Seamus Egan, MD of TDLR said: “As you can see some of these projects that we are working on are simple in nature but the energy savings from implementation will be very effective.

These projects will be the cornerstones of what will be the start of a long process in overhauling what is in place currently but in doing so will ensure we have a sustainable business that is a leading light for our staff and customers every day.”

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TDLR is currently completing a trial on the heating and ventilation systems on trams. This should enable a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption, and simultaneously it will help improve customer comfort on the tram.

network, based on some promising results from other Transdev operations.

This will tie in nicely with the rollout of our energy monitoring systems to see what savings are achieved from this initiative.

T: +353 (0)1 461 49 10 E: info@luas.ie W: www.transdevireland.ie 69

Credit: CHUTTERSNAP

transport report

Electric mobility: Key trends Capital markets, consumer demand, climate change reduction ambitions and new skills acquisition have created a momentum for electric mobility that even the global pandemic will not halt.

“The momentum behind cleaner, software-enabled forms of mobility is powerful and seemingly unstoppable,” a report by McKinsey and Company declared, before detailing four key trends driving clean, electric, connected mobility.

The assumption is a brave one when considering the levels of disruption future mobility ambitions have undergone in the past two years but an in-depth look at the trends serves to highlight that a slowdown in mobility demand driven by the pandemic should not have a lasting impact on the electric vehicle market.

Global EV sales in early 2019 had reached record highs, with an estimated two million EVs sold globally, but whereas previously statistics served to underpin predictions on EV growth, recent figures are obsolete because of the levels of unprecedented disruption.

Global sales for 2020 were predicted to

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fall by between 20 to 25 per cent in a best-case scenario and up to 50 per cent in Covid-19 worst hit areas.

However, despite the disruption, significant momentum in a number of key areas points to resilience in the electric mobility market. The first of those key trends, as highlighted by McKinsey is the continued interest by capital markets. The report points out that under the disruption, the mobility industry continues to outperform top industries, including big tech, in capital markets.

Capital markets The reasons underpinning performance are wide-ranging but the report points to key initiatives that appear to be driving capital market interest. The first is the opportunity for diversification.

The direct replacement of internalcombustion engines by EVs is a massive market opportunity in itself, but

recent years have seen the mobility industry initiate moves into more diverse markets such as shared mobility and the advanced connectivity solutions for EVs, offering clear pathways for market evolution in the decades ahead.

The second is the evolution and growth of the automotive software market, estimated to grow by 250 per cent by 2030 and the third is somewhat related to this software boom. New mobility players are approaching the future with a software-first mentality, attracting the best talent, compared to traditional industry players who will require a major shift in their operations and the reskilling of their existing talent.

A fourth reason is the appeal of green investment. Carbon neutral solutions are attracting the interest of investors and consumers. In response, the EV industry has sought to tailor its offering to consumer demands and customer-

Total return to shareholders, H2 2019-2020, weighted average by market caps as of June 2019 (%) New mobility

Semiconductors

Big tech

Insurance

Telco

Energy, oil and gas

Traditional auto

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51

167

63

18

11

8

Source: S&P Capital IQ: McKinsey analysis

centric solutions have helped broaden the appeal beyond carbon neutrality.

Consumer demand Governments across the globe have been grappling with the most efficient and cost-effective method of altering consumer behaviour. Most realise the importance of establishing a pathway for a major mobility shift out to 2030 if ambitions for 2050 are to be achieved.

While in Europe, many member states are engaged in developing the roadmap to ensure a mass public EV transition, the McKinsey report highlights that other global nations are already well advanced in their journey. Offering a snapshot of what the global market may become, the report highlights that China’s automakers have adapted advanced technologies to meet and go above customer expectation. Beyond electrification, in vehicle technology customisation has seen a rapid spike in interest in vehicle connectivity, with consumers willing to spend more on connected vehicles.

Climate change A further key trend identified by the McKinsey report is that of climate change and the perceived role of EVs in decarbonising transport. Road transport currently accounts for some 13 per cent of global carbon emissions and decarbonisation of the sector has been slow when compared to the likes of energy.

Of course, energy decarbonisation in the form of green electricity is an

enabling foundation of EV rollout.

However, experts suggest that time is running out for significant progress to be made in EV uptake if transport is to play its part in preventing the global temperature rise above 1.5oC in 2050.

The scale of the challenge can be viewed in the context that a number of previously envisaged trigger points for mass EV uptake have already been triggered, for example, the cost of EV batteries has plummeted since 2010 to record lows and investment levels in EV-related tech have multiplied significantly. The report identifies five major challenges that remain:

great but one that has been accepted

1. Pace: By 2035, more than 95 per cent of all cars and trucks on the road would need to be zeroemission to limit warming to the desired levels, making the next decade crucial.

been recognised that mass uptake of

2. Leveraging the potential of transition technologies including hybrid vehicles and gas-powered cars.

sees them compete with big tech and

3. Exploration of multimodal mobility and traffic optimisation to reduce the miles travelled.

market.

as necessary, and so, meeting climate change reduction ambitions is a driver of electric mobility and should drive cross-sectoral cooperation for a circular economy.

Skills The final trend identified by McKinsey and Company is that of a recognition that skill sets will need to be adapted to meet mobility shifts. EV technology, software and connectivity will require very different skills sets to the existing combustion engine market and it has EVs could result in up to a third of the current automotive industries workforce’s skill sets being insufficient.

While new players in the mobility market have adopted an approach that other large industries for talent, the existing automotive industry is also attempting to diversify into the evolving

To do this, traditional players are recognising the need to develop, not

4. Energy: the renewable share of power will need to be increased to reduce road transport emissions.

only engineers of the future but skills in

5. Decarbonising supply chains: Ensuring that all aspects of EV delivery, including manufacturing and transport are decarbonised.

driving innovation, helping to meet

The significance of the challenge is

momentum.

relation to software, data analytics and marketing. This skills development is customer demand, and attracting investment into a market that, despite pandemic disruption, is gathering in 71

transport report

Real progress on rail’s role in our sustainable future DART+ Programme Before Covid-19, in 2019, we in Iarnród Éireann carried a record 50.1 million passengers on our services, across Intercity, DART and Commuter, and trends were set to see yet more record highs successively this year, and in the years to come. Internationally however, in countries like New Zealand who have reopened practically fully, we are seeing stronger recovery in public transport patronage, meaning the importance of building our network capacities remain.

At the heart of our plans is DART+, supported by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan.

Put simply, this investment will allow more trains to operate on all routes on our network, by building the capacity of the most congested sections in the Greater Dublin area.

It will see:

Support for a stronger rail network is being seen in policy and investment decisions says Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann.

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In parallel with our management of Iarnród Éireann’s network and services through the Covid-19 crisis, we have been focused on our post-Covid future.

This is to ensure that our railway is at the heart of a sustainable future for Ireland, with policy at European, national, and regional level prioritising sustainable mobility and decarbonisation, to support our environment, economy, and society.

If anything, the support for a sustainable transport network which existed across policymakers, regulatory bodies, and our wider communities and businesses, has 72

strengthened through the crisis. This means that, with the progress made on our ambitions for our rail service and network over the past 12 months, we are well positioned to ensure rail is the backbone of such a network.

There has never been a time when we have such a unique opportunity to facilitate a more sustainable pattern of travel, development, and economic activity, to meet climate action goals at national and international level and improve quality of life for generations to come.

•

the electrification of the Maynooth, Hazelhatch and Drogheda rail lines;

•

associated works such as the elimination of level crossings on the Maynooth line;

•

infrastructure works to allow more trains to operate, including at Connolly and Docklands;

•

integration with other public transport modes including proposed MetroLink and BusConnects programmes;

•

a major expansion of our fleet, with up to 750 electric and hybrid train carriages to be ordered, resulting in almost 80 per cent of journeys on our network being delivered under electric power;

•

all leading to a doubling of the carrying capacity of the Greater Dublin Area network.

Public consultation on DART+ West (Maynooth/M3 Parkway) and DART+ South West (Hazelhatch to Heuston) is

well underway, with planning for DART+ Coastal (Drogheda to Greystones) also having commenced.

Crucially, the order for the fleet set to be at the heart of our service over the coming decades is now just months away.

As well as ensuring our new fleet is more sustainable, we have also begun a programme to convert our existing Intercity railcar fleet to diesel electric operation, reducing emissions, fuel usage, costs, and noise.

Improving access to services for all customers will also be at the heart of our investment plans. Accessibility for mobility and sensory impaired customers will be a principle of all station and fleet improvements, and our largest ever lift renewal programme is underway. Investment in park and ride facilities, and customer information will also make our services easier to access and to use.

National network

Regional cities We have also seen huge progress in our plans to strengthen the role of rail for our regional cities.

As part of the Government’s National Recovery Plan, €185 million is to be invested in the Cork commuter rail network, under the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The funding will allow Iarnród Éireann to

transportation hub centred on Colbert

•

opportunities provided by the network of

Double-tracking Glounthaune to Midleton;

Station will also boost services, and the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy will assess the rail lines around Limerick City.

•

Developing a new through platform at Kent Station for through running for Mallow to Midleton/Cobh; and

•

Resignalling the Cork commuter network.

New rail freight business, with XPO

The announcement also made clear that the next steps after this funding will be to electrify the Cork commuter network, and develop new stations, as planned under the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS).

Waterford, and major expansion of

In Galway, funding under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) for the western region includes two significant projects which will improve frequency, integration, and facilities for rail services to and from Galway city.

Investment of €9.3 million will include a 1km passing railway loop at the existing Oranmore Train Station, including an additional platform and associated infrastructure, which will allow the busy commuter link between Athenry and Galway to grow, in advance of our ambition for full double-tracking of the section in the future.

Rail freight and Rosslare Europort Logistics between Ballina and direct services between Ireland and the European Continent through Rosslare Europort, for which Iarnród Éireann is Port Authority, have also been delivered since the start of 2021.

Rosslare Europort’s status as Ireland’s gateway to Europe has been confirmed post-Brexit, with 17 services operate each way to and from Europe each week, making it Ireland’s foremost RoRo port for continental services.

We will build on Rosslare’s critical role for Ireland’s economy, ensuring efficiency and sustainability in our operations, through the port’s Masterplan, investing over €40 million in port facilities, infrastructure, and systems.

The direction of travel, and acceleration

Ceannt Station in the heart of Galway city will benefit from a major €40.3 million Galway City Council Transport Connectivity project. It includes Ceannt Quarter Regeneration, a Brownfield regeneration scheme comprising of redevelopment of Ceannt Station. It will result in an integrated transport hub in the heart of Galway City Centre.

Waterford’s Plunkett Station will be relocated to be part of an integrated transport hub under plans to develop the city’s North Quays. In Limerick, the completion of the city’s own

of momentum, is clear. Our journey to

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Investment in infrastructure in the Dublin area will not only benefit Dublin commuter belt services, however. It will grow our ability to operate services right around the country. We are also ambitious to see journey time improvements on national routes, and targeted line speed improvement works are already taking place.

increase the Cork commuter rail network’s capacity to deliver DART-type frequency, through three major elements:

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“Investment in infrastructure in the Dublin area will not only benefit Dublin commuter belt services, however. It will grow our ability to operate services right around the country.

We are also ambitious to see journey time improvements on national routes, and targeted line speed improvement works are already taking place.”

our sustainable future is en route to a destination which will benefit our country, our environment, our communities, and our society as a whole, and everyone is welcome on board.

T: (01) 8366 222 E: IENews@irishrail.ie W: www.irishrail.ie 73

transport report

Digitalising Europe’s railways

As Europe seeks to decarbonise its transport systems and to move people away from private modes of transport, its hesitance in digitalising its railways will need to be overturned.

European rail currently sits in a strong position to take advantage of the decarbonisation agenda that will only be accelerated in the decade to come.

Passenger kilometres have grown by over 10 per cent in the past five years, with around 7 per cent of all transport passengers using rail, compared with just 1 per cent in the Americas. The European Green Deal will further prioritise rail travel and this initiative is being matched at the national level. In France, for example, the Government cancelled the provision of short-haul flights as a funding prerequisite for Air France, a move that will most likely drive people towards further use of rail travel.

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Despite this strong position, the European rail industry is partly built on antiquated legacy systems that are becoming more difficult and costly to maintain, with some railways having multiple different interlocking types, some more than a century old, and a variety of obsolete trackside technology that can no longer be maintained due to a lack of required technology or spare parts.

Features of digitalised railways such as automated interlocking, train dispatching, and incident handling have been proven to offer benefits in terms of capacity, safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS)

legislation passed in 2000 has led to small improvements in technology, although progress to date has been slow due to the fact that a change from traditional rail to digitalised rail infrastructure requires a “big push” change rather than incremental change that can be managed over time. The regulatory system also being ill equipped for the digital environment means that migration to digital infrastructure is more difficult.

With roughly 60 per cent of the world’s train-control and traffic-management market being located in Europe, it will be incumbent on the market here to modernise along with the rest of the world. European equipment

manufacturers such as Alstom, Bombardier, Hitachi Rail STS, Siemens, and Thales have led the way in technological innovations such as moving-block technology, which allows trains to run in the sequence of brake distance, an innovation that has increased capacity by more than 20 per cent on many lines, and in fully autonomous operations, which further increase capacity and safety. These systems have been put into place in collaboration with railroad operators in commercial settings, although at a comparatively small scale when compared to the type of transformation needed.

Two studies, the first a joint study by the German Ministry of Transport and McKinsey and Company in 2018, the second a joint report by the European Commission, Ineco and EY in 2019, point to the following as the main benefits of rail electrification: •

•

Additional capacity: With many railways having been pushed to their limits by the increase in demand for train passenger spots, it is projected that the digitalisation of rail infrastructure will increase capacity by 20 per cent without the need for new tracks.

Less expensive, more efficient services: It is expected that more than 90 per cent of signal boxes will be replaced by much less control centres and that lower costs of running will result in lower track access charges. The introduction of digital train control and traffic management will increase the rail system’s availability, reliability, and punctuality.

•

Enhanced technological leadership: Automation and the harmonisation of standards across Europe and the rail network worldwide will provide opportunity for “substantial product innovation and the chance to conquer new markets”.

•

Increased environmental sustainability: The smoother operations resultant from digitalisation, as well as the obvious lack of reliance on fossil fuels, will play a major role in the European transport system’s role in the decarbonisation targets set by the EU.

•

The chance to futureproof the industry: It is only through the digitalisation of rail systems that train infrastructure can hope to compete with the transport industry of the future; “operators cannot hope to beat smart mobility platforms with 1920s signalling systems, 1940s level crossings, or 1960s interlocking systems”, McKinsey and Company say.

However, Europe’s rollout of next generation rail technology has not matched the pace of other markets.

Luxembourg and Switzerland have migrated their train-control and trafficmanagement systems to ERTMS levels 1 and 2, while Spain has introduced ERTMS level 2 on many lines. Danish and Swiss rail system migration has suffered many setbacks, and progress in rolling out ERTMS in large markets such as France, Germany, and Italy has been limited.

Central rail-network operations, such as

transport report

As modernisation steps up apace, legacy technology will have to be replaced with advanced train-control and signalling systems such as ERTMS level 2 and above. In these technologies, wireless communications are used to supervise train movement. The systems currently used today use between 100 and 1,000 mechanical and electrical signal boxes, which would be replaced by new digital interlocking and control centres, of which only a few are required to control even the largest rail systems. It is hoped that the rollout of these technologies will allow railway operators to withdraw the majority of their trackside technology and that autonomous train operations will be built upon an electrified rail network.

“The regulatory system also being ill equipped for the digital environment means that migration to digital infrastructure is more difficult.”

France’s Commande Centralisée de Réseau and Germany’s Digitaler Bedienplatz, have plans to update a portion of their interlockings, but the timeframes in which they expect to finish (2033 and 2035 respectively) are long-term. This slow pace in Europe has allowed for other markets to catch up from a research and development point of view; China, for example, is now responsible for more than 50 per cent of global high-speed trains. China is also now investing heavily in signalling technology and is expected to compete with Europe before long.

To this end, McKinsey and Company suggest three targets for European rail infrastructure to digitalise at a rate that sets it out in front of other markets by 2050: •

Every track and train should be capable of delivering at least ERTMS level 3, which means that more than 250,000km of lines and more than 50,000 vehicles would be equipped with new train-control and signalling systems.

•

Train operations should be capable of achieving the highest possible grade of automation, level 4, which would enable an entire operation to exist without train drivers (and with appropriately equipped stations) on 100 per cent of high-speed trains and 30 per cent of local trains.

•

Automated coupling and shunting should also be implemented in rail freight in all major shunting stations and yards and for 100 per cent of the rolling stock.

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transport report

Powering sustainability: Networked gas key to reducing heavy transport emissions CO2 emissions by up to 23 per cent compared to diesel (CENEX, 2019) and nitrous oxide (NOx) by up to 50 per cent (UK Department of Transport, 2018).

The highest emissions savings were achieved under specific conditions, loads and vehicles – in particular, longhaul and regional drive cycles – making natural and renewable gases the ideal fuels for decarbonising Ireland’s HGV and bus fleets.

Furthermore, fuelling commercial vehicles with natural gas can also reduce transport costs by up to 35 per cent (Cadent, 2016). A proven, reliable and affordable alternative to diesel, Ireland’s CNG vehicle numbers grew more than 50 per cent in 2020, as the number in Europe passed two million and the number worldwide exceeded 28 million.

CNG, biomethane and hydrogen can all play a part in helping decarbonise

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Ireland’s transport sector.

Ireland’s road to netzero transport

CNG: Cleaner, affordable, and proven

Transport currently accounts for 42 per cent of Ireland’s energy use, making it the country’s largest source of energy demand. It is also one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise.

CNG reliably delivered through the national gas network is key to driving sustainable supply chains and is the first step towards net-zero commercial transport in Ireland.

In particular, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses generate 30 per cent of road transport emissions despite accounting for just 4 per cent of vehicles on Irish roads.

Proven global technologies, such as compressed natural gas (CNG), and renewable gases, including biomethane and hydrogen, can all play a part in helping decarbonise Ireland’s transport sector.

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CNG involves the deployment of technologies which deliver gas that has been compressed to high pressures (over 200 bar). It is typically used as a transport fuel and is particularly suitable for use in commercial vehicles where electric solutions are not a viable option.

The gas used can be either natural or renewable gas that meets the network specifications.

Studies show that switching from diesel to natural gas can reduce well-to-wheel

Renewable gas in transport While immediate carbon emissions reductions for commercial fleets can be realised by switching to natural gas today, more significant savings can be realised through renewable gases such as biomethane and hydrogen.

In 2019, Ireland began its journey to a net-zero carbon gas network, with the introduction of domestically produced biomethane into the national network in Cush, County Kildare, Ireland’s first renewable gas injection point.

Biomethane is a carbon neutral renewable gas produced from farm and food waste through a process known as anaerobic digestion. It is largely identical to natural gas and is fully compatible with the existing gas network and CNG vehicles.

A key feature of the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy, the European Commission identified Ireland as having the most potential per capita to produce biomethane and enhance security of supply.

Establishing a renewable gas industry in Ireland will also support additional jobs and income streams in local communities. Planning permission for Ireland’s second renewable gas injection point near Mitchelstown in County Cork was granted in 2020.

This means that as the volume of renewable gas on the network increases, vehicles refuelling from the national gas network will increasingly reduce their carbon footprint without needing to change a thing.

transport report

Irish companies are now developing sustainable circular economies by purchasing renewable gas made from their own waste to power their operations and vehicles.

In 2020, VisionGreen Logistics Solutions Ltd, became the first logistics company in Ireland to make carbon neutral retail deliveries with trucks fuelled by renewable gas made from farm and food waste, while Kerry County Council became the first local authority in Ireland to trial a carbon neutral HGV powered by renewable gas, sustainably transporting road salt from County Tipperary.

Hydrogen in transport Hydrogen is a carbon free gas that produces no CO2 emissions and can significantly improve air quality in towns and cities.

Ireland’s gas network is one of the safest and most modern ‘hydrogen-ready’ gas networks in Europe. Blends of up to 20 per cent hydrogen could be transported on the existing gas network and used in existing appliances, technologies, and vehicles, with minimal disruption and upfront cost to customers. Pure 100 per cent hydrogen can be transported with some modifications.

Hydrogen can be produced from renewable electricity and stored indefinitely, making it an attractive option to decarbonise energy systems and a strong example of how greater cohesion between our gas and electricity systems can drive a cleaner energy future for Ireland.

Ireland’s CNG refuelling network Gas Networks Ireland has a critical role

Currently there are CNG refuelling stations located at Circle K’s forecourts in Dublin Port and Cashel, with two more set to open in the summer of 2021 in Dublin and Limerick. There is a fifth station under construction in Cavan and a further eight in planning and development. Three private CNG stations are also in operation.

CNG Vehicle Grant Schemes There is almost €5 million available to support Irish fleet operators in choosing a cleaner fuel option.

On 1 March 2021, Gas Networks Ireland launched a €2.9 million CNG Vehicle Grant Scheme to support the purchase of up to 400 new vehicles. This funding will help Irish fleet operators and hauliers to transition to new, cleaner CNG vehicles and support the decarbonisation of Ireland’s transport sector.

Co-financed by the EU’s TEN-T Programme under the Connecting Europe Facility as part of the Green Connect Project, the grants cover 20 per

cent of the difference between CNG and diesel-powered vehicles with a maximum amount of €5,000 available to applicants per vehicle.

The maximum amount of financial support available to an applicant under the scheme is €60,000, supporting the purchase of up to 12 vehicles. Grants can be used towards the costs of vehicles registered from 2020 and is open to applications across a range of commercial vehicles including HGVs, buses and vans powered by CNG. Applications are now being accepted at www.gasnetworks.ie/cngvehiclegrant.

On 15 March 2021, the Department of Transport launched a €2 million Alternatively Fuelled Heavy Duty Vehicle (AFHDV) Purchase Grant Scheme, which will cover between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of the price differential, with a maximum 20 vehicles or €500,000 available to any one applicant. Grants can be used towards the future purchase of more sustainable vehicles, including gas and electric vehicles.

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Gas Networks Ireland has established a Hydrogen Innovation Centre in Dublin to ensure the safe transportation, storage and use of hydrogen on the national network, and is collaborating on a variety of hydrogen research initiatives to assess various applications for hydrogen, including its use in transport.

to play in decarbonising the transport sector and is actively rolling out a network of CNG refuelling stations nationally in partnership with Ireland’s forecourt operators and hauliers.

E: cng@gasnetworks.ie W: www.gasnetworks.ie/cng T: 1800 411 511 77

transport report

Safe routes to school In March 2021, a new Safe Routes to School programme was collaboratively launched by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton TD and Education Minister Norma Foley TD. Representing the next phase of the Government’s investment in active travel, the programme is intended to support the delivery of improved active travel infrastructure for selected schools.

As indicated by the Department of Transport, these improvements can range from upgrading existing footpaths or constructing a new cycle lane to a redevelopment of a school entrance.

The programme’s central objective is to establish safer walking and cycling routes to alleviate congestion in the vicinity of schools and increase the number of students opting to walk or cycle to school.

Funded by the Department of Transport, through the National Transport Agency (NTA), the Government has allocated over €15 million to deliver Safe Routes to School projects at over 100 schools in 2021. The programme is also supported by the Department of Education and is coordinated by An Taisce’s Green Schools, while local authorities “will play a key part in delivering the infrastructure along access routes and at the school gate”.

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In seeking to implement the programme, seven additional jobs across An Taisce and the NTA have been created, alongside 248 new active travel positions announced by the Department of Transport.

Eligibility is extended to all schools, with participation aligned to a set of criteria which includes “school type, location and school’s commitment to sustainable travel”.

Selected schools and local authorities will then collaborate with a designated infrastructure officer from Green Schools to plan and deliver the improved infrastructure, while schools which are not successful may reapply at a later point.

Minister Ryan outlined: “Schoolchildren need more than hi-vis vests to get to schools safely. They need proper infrastructure to make walking cycling and scooting a practical choice for families. The first phase of Safe Routes to School will help deliver these facilities by fast tracking segregated infrastructure and providing front of school treatments to improve access

and prevent congestion. Helping children get to school safely under their own steam is better for their health and development and better for the environment.”

Similarly, Education Minister Norma Foley emphasised the opportunity to create healthier and more sustainable travel options, adding: “Being active is a key component of wellbeing, and this initiative will help our schools to promote active and safe travel for all students.”

NTA CEO Anne Graham asserted: “The project being announced today is a significant step in encouraging young people to use more sustainable modes of transport, particularly when going to school. We want to see more young people cycling, walking/scooting to school, but we understand that safety is a concern.

“In this first phase of ‘Safe Routes to School’, we will address this by providing better infrastructure for these young people. This year alone, work on projects will get under way in over 100 schools around the country.”

transport report

Bus Éireann: Delivering passenger growth and satisfaction think there’s been a more exciting time to be working in this sector,” continues Stephen Kent. “The convergence of environmental, economic and social goals is creating opportunities for us, while expectations have probably never been higher either.”

Sustainability, driving change

Stephen Kent

Bus Éireann Chief Executive Officer Stephen Kent speaks to eolas about the national bus company’s new services, its transition to electric and hydrogenpowered vehicles, and the opportunities in recovering from Covid-19.

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“In Bus Éireann we are proud to have a unique insight into the role and importance of public transport in Irish life, right throughout the country,” says Stephen Kent, the national bus company’s Chief Executive Officer.

“From primary school children taking their first steps to independence by taking one of our dedicated school buses, to students taking Expressway to college, the person travelling to employment and home again throughout their working life, people shopping and socialising, right through to people who have retired and now hold the free travel pass, Bus Éireann is there throughout with a mix of services to keep Ireland connected.”

kilometres, with operations in 17 depots and 2,700 employees. The company, supported by the National Transport Authority, operates Public Service Obligation routes across the city networks of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, Greater Dublin Area commuter services, town services in Athlone, Balbriggan, Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan, Sligo and county services. It also has a commercial wing, the country’s largest intercity service, Expressway, and operates the national School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education.

“Our challenge is to provide services and experiences that convert these school kids and students to life-long loyalty to Bus Éireann operates the most bus public transport. It may seem a extensive public transport network in the strange time to say this, given the huge country, serving almost 90 million financial impact of Covid-19 on passengers in 2019 across 82 million public transport operators, but I don’t 80

Bus Éireann’s focus is now on 2030 and achieving its sustainability goals, having made important progress throughout 2020. The national bus company is targeting a 30 per cent increase in passenger numbers, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half within the next nine years. In 2020, Bus Éireann was proud to trial the first hydrogen-powered bus in passenger service in Ireland and is preparing for three double-deck hydrogen fuelled buses to be deployed this year. Galway’s city fleet will be fully hybrid by the end of the year and the Athlone town service will convert to electric-only in 2022.

“We know that no new diesel bus will be added to our urban fleet. Working closely with the NTA, these initiatives will help us to chart the path forward to determine what technology will be the most appropriate on all kinds of different routes,” explains Stephen Kent. “What is already very clear is that in our challenge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half, the vehicle is just the most apparent change, but more profound transformation will precipitate behind the scenes.

“We are assessing the implications for the locations and power supplies of all our depots. Currently, all our vehicles, whether Bus Éireann city and town services, Expressway interregional or school transport use the same fuel and rely on the combustion engine for power.

We have 300 highly skilled and valued craftworkers and are devising training programmes to support their change to working on electric-powered vehicles.

Our people are at the centre of the contribution we can make to Ireland’s sustainability agenda,” continues Stephen Kent.

Passenger growth

“We have proof now of the effectiveness of additional investment and service improvement. Significant improvements in services to regional cities were made in 2018 and 2019, with the support of the NTA. Frequency was increased, 24hour services were introduced in Cork, an entirely new network for Waterford, and reliability improved. We saw passenger numbers grow by up to 70 per cent within 12 months of these initiatives, a demonstration of the latent demand for bus services,” explains Stephen Kent.

Delivering passenger growth while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction has always been the focus, but now Bus Éireann has a third target – promoting and helping to deliver significant modal shift away from the private car in all parts of the countryside.

Bus Éireann sees bus services playing the major role.

Improved services “We added three million km annually to our services within four months of funding approval, and created 120 jobs, thanks to the National Transport Authority and the July Stimulus

Bus Éireann services introduced/improved in 2020 Clare

Increase in frequency between Ennis and West Clare, linking towns of Kilkee, Doonbeg and Lahinch for the first time

Cork

New cross city service linking Glanmire with CUH via the city centre, frequency increased to three services an hour

Greater Dublin

Major revision of all commuter timetables to improve punctuality and reliability

Drogheda

Frequency increased with two new routings Combined 15 minute frequency, seven days a week

Dundalk

Linking Baltray, Clogher and Termonfeckin directly to Dundalk for the first time

Limerick

Frequency doubled on a route, more services and the route extended

Mayo/Galway

First year round connection between Clifden and Westport Improved services to Blacksod, Belmullet and Ballina Seven daily weekday services to Louisburgh and Achill

Navan

First town service, two routes, operating every 30 minutes seven days a week

Tipperary

Daily bus service linking Portroe with Limerick and Nenagh for the first time

package,” continues Stephen Kent. “At more or less the same time, we increased what was already Europe’s largest school transport scheme by a quarter, to almost 9,000 dedicated routes, to provide 50 per cent social distancing capacity on post-primary routes. These are initiatives that demonstrate the flexibility which has been achieved throughout our operation, our focus on the customer and overall efficiency.”

The performance and resilience of the entire Bus Éireann team during the pandemic has accentuated our commitment to providing a public service and ensuring connectivity when people relied on public transport most. “We are very conscious that in our sustainability targets we have committed Bus Éireann

to very positive transformation which will deliver far reaching benefits to the communities we serve. The Covid-19 crisis has really tested our people, our partners, and stakeholders but there has been fantastic collaboration to keep our essential services on the road, safely. It gives me great optimism about what we can achieve together in the coming years, delivering safe, more frequent and reliable services, to more people, with less environmental impact and with an even more diverse workforce,” he concludes.

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“We often talk about the inherent flexibility of bus transport. I think 2020 showcased that in ways we wouldn’t have wished for, but from which we have learned so much about what is possible,” continues Stephen Kent.

“Since the pandemic hit in March 2020, when demand collapsed by 90 per cent, we have scaled schedules back and restored them again. We have implemented public health restriction guidelines from two-metre social distancing on board, to 25 per cent capacity, to 50 per cent capacity and back again – and sometimes operated at different capacity levels in different parts of the country during localised lockdowns.

transport report

Turning to the other side of the equation, Bus Éireann’s target to grow passenger numbers is also important to Ireland’s climate action goals. Even now, bus and coach travel is inherently more sustainable as it emits up to one-fifth the carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre compared to private cars. Modern diesel engines emit 90 per cent less nitrous oxides than they did in 2000. Getting more people to think bus instead of car can be a quick win.

W: www.buseireann.ie Twitter: @Buseireann

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Credit: William Murphy

transport report

Coolmine train station

All-island Strategic Rail Review launched The Irish Government and the Stormont Executive have agreed to undertake an all-island Strategic Rail Review to consider unlocking the potential of the rail network across the island.

An agreement was reached at the North South Ministerial Council meeting in October 2020 that the Department of Transport and the Department for Infrastructure would work to “further develop draft terms of reference for a proposed study of rail speeds, to ensure the finalised terms of reference take sufficient cognisance of the need for balanced regional development, particularly in relation to connectivity with the North-West”.

those relating to climate change. This means examining how the rail network on the island of Ireland can be improved to provide sustainable connectivity between major cities and advance regional accessibility and development, as well as investigating the potential to increase rail freight. This means scoping enhanced high- or higher-speed rail services along existing or new potential corridors of the network, including design and operational proposals.

In April 2021, the procurement process was launched by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD and Stormont Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon MLA when a request for tender seeking expressions of interest in conducting the all-island Strategic Rail Review was published in the Official Journal for European Union. The Strategic Rail Review is reflection of the Irish Government’s New Decade, New Approach commitments.

With an estimated value of €1,000,000 and a 12-month duration of contract, it is anticipated that the Review will commence by early summer 2021. The external consultants undertaking the review will be overseen by the two departments, alongside the National Transport Authority, the Commission for Rail Regulation, Iarnród Éireann and Translink.

The overarching objective of the Strategic Rail Review is to explore the contribution of rail in facilitating policy objectives, north and south, particularly 82

Emphasising his firm belief in “the potential of rail in supporting social and economic development and the environmental sustainability of our transport system”, Minister Ryan asserted: “I’m particularly pleased that

we’ll undertake this review on an allisland basis, working with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Executive. The review will look at how rail can help better connect cities and regions across the island and will complement the investment we already plan in our commuter rail networks.”

Meanwhile, Minister Mallon remarked: “Travel by rail is an issue I am very passionate about and I believe it has massive untapped potential to deliver multiple benefits across our island.

Since coming into office, I have been clear that it is my priority to address regional imbalance, tackle the climate crisis and better connect communities across Ireland.

“The All-island Strategic Rail Review will allow us to consider our network across this island to view how we can improve it for everyone. Building on our commitments in New Decade, New Approach to progress a spine of connectivity, this ambitious review, in partnership, will look at opportunities to enhance rail across our island.”

transport report

Transport key in new European emissions targets Member states and the EU Parliament have come to an agreement for a new law enshrining targets for the reduction of carbon emissions. The transport sector will play a significant role if these targets are to be met.

The new law agreed between the EU member states and the Parliament states that the EU will cut carbon emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 when compared with 1990 levels.

The EU Parliament had pushed for a higher target of 60 per cent, but a compromise of 55 per cent was reached.

“Our political commitment to becoming the first climate neutral continent by 2050 is now also a legal one,” said EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in April 2021 upon the agreement of the new law. “The Climate Law sets the EU on a green path for a generation.”

The EU Climate Law was agreed in April 2021 following months of talks between the member states and the Parliament. It sets a limit on the levels of CO2 removal that can count towards the 2030 target, which will ensure that states will be forced to focus on activities that actively lower carbon in their atmosphere rather than removing it via initiatives such as reforestation.

Such measures mean that the onus will be on sectors such as transport to find cleaner ways to operate.

A 15-member independent council will be established to advise the EU on

climate measures and targets, with the EU Commission set to announce a package of climate laws in June to support the plans. While previous EU legislation had targeted a 40 per cent cut, the 55 per cent target was initially announced in December, although it was not enshrined into law until April amidst calls from the EU Parliament and environmental groups to go further.

Frans Timmerman, the Vice-President of the EU Commission, said that the political agreement reached was “a landmark moment for the EU and a strong signal to the world”.

one million new charging points to be rolled out as part of the European Green Deal.

In September 2020, the Commission set out its plans for reaching the 55 per cent target, where it stated that “in the transport sector, as calculated in the Renewable Energy Directive, renewables would reach around 24 per cent [emission reduction] through further development and deployment of electric vehicles, advanced biofuels and other renewable and low carbon fuels”.

Revised CO2 emission standards for cars and vans will “ensure enough clean cars are available on the market” and the transition “will require a corresponding roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure by 2030”, with

In the case of road transport, emissions trading has the advantage of “capturing fleet emissions under the cap and simultaneously incentivising behavioural change with lasting effects on mobility solutions through the price signal”, although CO2 emissions performance standards for cars are said to be “the main driver to ensure the supply of modern and innovative clean vehicles, including electric cars”. Thus, in order to guarantee a clear path towards zerocarbon mobility, the European Commission says that “the CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans will be revisited and strengthened”.

Under previous targets, it was estimated that the transport sector would require an additional €120 billion of investment, a figure which has now been revised to €130 billion in order to meet the 55 per cent target. It has also been mooted that an expanded EU Emissions Trading System could be developed to incorporate road transport, “potentially in time covering all uses of fossil fuel combustion”.

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transport report

Bringing Transport 5.0 to Ireland

Bidisha Ghosh, Associate Professor of Civil Structuring and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin and chair of the Irish Transport Research Network, speaks to eolas about Transport 5.0 and how it will help Ireland and Europe move towards sustainable, human-centric modes of transport.

“Transport 5.0 is a term for the bringing together of Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0. Industry 5.0 is the future, where we will be going very soon,” Ghosh explains. “Industry 5.0 will contain mass customisation and cyber physical cognitive systems. The word cognitive is quite important here, it brings us to the realm of AI and how it will interact with cyber and physical space and how we can give better benefits to society through customisation. When we go to Industry 5.0 – augmented reality, big data etcetera – we need to think about horizontal and vertical system integration, which we haven’t achieved to the extent we would like.”

economic advancement with the resolution of social problems via a system that highly integrates cyber and physical space,” Ghosh says. “We are now in Society 4.0, the society of information where we share information and take information. The idea is that we should have comfortable, high quality lives that are full of vitality. The technology should work for human good. Germany has already started work on this. It has a project called Transport 5.0, where it is defining what it believes Transport 5.0 is: crossdomain, self-organising transport schemes and organisational principles for a user-centred transport system.”

The change to Transport 5.0 is coming fast, Ghosh says, with Europe moving towards a “sustainable, human-centric industry”. To this end, the European Commission has published its AI White Paper, as an information guide on how AI should be utilised, and its European Skills Agenda, which says that European workers should be reskilled or upskilled to allow them to play a role in this digitalisation agenda and benefit from it.

In Transport 4.0 we currently use sensors that convert energy from changes in temperature, pressure, magnetism, etcetera into data; Transport 5.0 means that we “will be converting minds to data, people’s intentions, poses and movements” will create information. Actuators will control physical devices – automatic cars or traffic lights for example – where data is processed and converted to control command of the machines to control the movement or actions of those machines. “In case of social prescription, what will happen is that data will be converted to mind, so people will be acting towards greater

The key to the successful implementation of Transport 5.0 is the consideration of societal transformation as well as technological. “Society 5.0 is a human-centred society that balances 84

social good, taking routes that reduce congestion, travelling at speeds for the benefit of the entire traffic stream,” Ghosh says.

Smart mobility test beds exist throughout the world, and Ghosh points to notable examples in Qingdao, Chelyabinsk, Western Australia and London. For Ireland, she concludes, this is the next step: “In Ireland at present, we have smart cities, smart districts and Smart Dublin. The pathway from going from a smart city to a smart mobility zone is a goal around which we need to develop a manual to make this jump. One of the first steps is looking into the infrastructural needs, the sensors, the communications and whatever else we need.

“We need to figure out how the infrastructure will communicate with the cars, and we need to think about international and European collaboration. There is so much going on and one of the easiest ways to participate is through European projects. We are looking into how we can bring cooperative, conceive and automated mobility into Ireland and move Ireland from Transport 4.0 to Transport 5.0. This is the future; it is coming very fast and there is no way to avoid it.”

Credit: Kelly Sikkema

Ireland oversees global pledge to build back better in transport Among a range of commitments undertaken by ministers at the annual

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summit were: promoting of urban mobility redesigns that build on the boom for walking and cycling during the pandemic; •

innovative mobility options foster

Ireland’s year holding the Presidency of the International Transport Forum (ITF) culminated in a commitment to raise ambition and invest in the transition to green mobility by transport ministers across the globe.

ensuring that new technologies and equitable access for all citizens;

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promoting of education and training and a more inclusive and fair workplace for all transport workers;

In May 2021, the transport ministers of 63 countries of the ITF at the OECD agreed to use the recovery from the pandemic to transform their transport sectors.

Originally scheduled to take place in May 2020 in Leipzig, Germany, the annual ITF summit was postponed due to the pandemic and was instead held virtually between 17 and 28 May 2021 and opened by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan TD. Ireland’s presidency of the ITF, which was taken up in 2019, was extended by a year because of the pandemic and, as expected, pandemic recovery dominated the rescheduled virtual event.

Ryan chaired the Annual Council of Ministers of Transport on 27 May, following which, an unanimously agreed ministerial declaration was released, reading: “Ministers note that the recovery from this pandemic offers new opportunities to reshape transport systems and shift to more resilient, efficient, sustainable and equitable mobility.

“In order to embrace the opportunity to build back better, ministers commit to show ambition, leadership and continued investment in the transition to greener and more efficient transport solutions.”

The ITF is an intergovernmental organisation, acting as a think tank for transport policy and organising the

annual summit for transport ministers.

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encouraging the use of public transport;

The Presidency of the ITF revolves annually, and Ireland previously held the role of President of the organisations predecessor, the Conference of Minister of Transport (ECMT).

The annual summit took place in the context of findings that transport activity is set to double by 2050 The ITF’s transport outlook for 2021, factoring in a slowing of overall demand growth because of the economic impact of the pandemic and fresh decarbonisation commitments, points to a 16 per cent increase in CO2 emissions from transport by 2050 even if current commitments are fully implemented.

“Current transport decarbonisation policies are insufficient to pivot passenger and freight transport onto a sustainable path,” the report states, highlighting that more ambitious decarbonisation policies could reduce CO2 emissions by 70 per cent, in line with the goal of the Paris Agreement ambition to limit global warning to 1.5oC. The ITF’s founding, which made the ECMT a worldwide organisation by making full-time members of previous associate members such as Japan and the United States, was done through the 2006 Declaration on the Development of the ECMT, colloquially known as the Dublin Declaration.

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fostering automation, digitalisation and data innovation;

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promoting of innovation in electrification, low- and zero-carbon fuels, hydrogen fuel cells and newgeneration batteries; and

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promoting of intermodal transport and develop interoperability.

Commenting following the ITF summit, Ryan said: “In the context of climate change and the urgent need to fundamentally reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally, coupled with digitalisation, automation and the impact of Covid-19, our transport systems are at a turning point.

“As we look to shift towards cleaner and efficient transport networks, we must innovate and drive behaviour change to ensure passengers and freight stay connected, in a sustainable manner, to the communities and businesses which need them.

The ITF Summit has provided a muchneeded opportunity for transport leaders from around the world to join together and plan the pathway towards realising that vision.”

The ITF 2022 Summit is scheduled to return to Leipzig next year and will be under the Presidency of Morocco before passing to the UK in 2023.

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Transport investment priorities transport report

At the end of March 2021, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD published the draft National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland (NIFTI), outlining the Department of Transport’s long-term investment strategy for land transport.

NIFTI represents the Department’s contribution to Project Ireland 2040 and is designed to be a framework for prioritising future investment in land transport, while supporting spatial and national strategic objectives outlined in the National Planning Framework (NPF). Transport is identified as a “key enabler” of the NPF. “Recognising the interdependence of transport and spatial planning”, NIFTI is aimed at supporting investment which helps to realise compact growth, while optimising existing infrastructure to “make active travel and public transport more attractive choices”.

NIFTI identifies four investment priorities that future transport projects must align with to be considered for funding.

Likewise, as the National Strategic Outcomes are embedded within NIFTI, these investments will simultaneously support the delivery of the NPF. 1. Decarbonisation: Transport accounts for approximately 20 per cent of Irish greenhouse gas emissions, making it a priority for decarbonisation in the context of Ireland’s climate objectives. NIFTI indicates that a shift towards sustainable mobility alternatives, such as active travel and public

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transport, must be supported where feasible. For instance, this includes unlocking rural sustainable mobility through investment in greenways, public transport and park and ride facilities. “Where private investment remains necessary, our support for low-emission vehicles and associated infrastructure can help to decarbonise such trips,” the Department says.

connectivity: Outside of urban areas, the Department has committed to rectifying “priority bottlenecks” and ensuring connectivity between all regions and Ireland’s major ports and airports.

“The land transport network connects communities across our island. We are interested in hearing the views of the public and all interested stakeholders as

2. Protection and renewal: Several challenges faced by the existing transport network can be remedied, to some degree, through adequate maintenance of infrastructure. In the context of the climate crisis and to ensure resilience, the most strategically important components of the network will be the focus of protection and renewal.

we develop our new investment

3. Mobility of people and goods in urban areas: Priority will be given to projects which reduce urban congestion while simultaneously enhancing decarbonisation. The Department commits to “the development of new sustainable mobility infrastructure, and the optimisation of existing infrastructure”.

and climate change policies, your views

4. Enhanced regional and rural

NIFTI published in Q3 2021.

framework. The output of this consultation will help shape this highlevel investment framework and investment priorities, which will determine how we deliver infrastructure within and between our cities, towns, and rural communities in a sustainable manner over the coming decades. As transport is a key enabler of our spatial will inform how transport supports sustainable social, environmental, and economic development nationwide,” the Transport Minister said.

A public consultation seeking views on future transport investment priorities concluded on 28 May 2021. The report is now expected to be finalised and

Health tech report

health tech report

Health information systems in Ireland New telecommunication equipment for telenursing at Health Sciences North, Horizon Santé-Nord (HSN) in Ontario, Canada.

In June 2021, the ESRI published Developments in health information systems in Ireland and internationally. The report’s objective was to provide a comprehensive overview of Ireland’s health information context and determine components of international healthcare systems that could be deployed in Ireland to enhance the existing healthcare system.

Omnipresent and dynamic challenges faced by the healthcare systems as a consequence of increased demand, increasingly complex requirements and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic have combined to drive the development of HIS and enhance eHealth.

Since it became apparent that the Covid-19 pandemic required real-time interventions by healthcare decisionmakers, there has been a catalytic impact on the adoption of health technology. At the same time, the pandemic has provoked significant public engagement with health data, potentially acting as an impetus to sustain public buy-in and increase investment in a modern HIS and health data collection.

Cognisant of the broad scope of health information systems (HIS), eHealth and health technology, the authors of the ESRI report, Brendan Walsh, Ciarán Mac Domhnaill and Gretta Mohan, 88

homed in on components which are most pertinent to policymakers in an Irish context.

As such, its HIS report explored three core areas: 1. characteristics of successful international health information systems; 2. Ireland’s health information system and the health data context; and 3. telemedicine deployment during the pandemic.

Characteristics of successful international HIS In order to establish a framework with which to view and understand Ireland’s current HIS context, the ESRI sought to explore and record key features of international HIS. In doing so, several commonalities were discovered among effective HIS.

The first commonality is the national deployment of an individual health identifier (IHI). In Scotland, for instance, the Community Health Index (CHI) uniquely identifies individuals on a national register which is incorporated in numerous electronic medical recording systems in the NHS Scotland system.

The second commonality is the creation of a national electronic health record (EHR). EHRs enable information to be coherently linked between different components of a healthcare system.

Interoperability between healthcare data systems is essential to unlocking the optimal benefits of health informatics.

For example, the NHS Spine database in England links healthcare IT systems across services and providers, facilitating the secure sharing of information as per its eReferral Service.

Similarly, during the pandemic, New Zealand’s National Health Index (NHI)

by the pandemic, Ireland’s public health data infrastructure is inadequate.

Added to this is fragmented public and private healthcare provision.

was linked to EpiSurv, the country’s Covid-19 case database.

The third commonality is the ability of different components with a health system to interact and integrate with each other. In the absence of this ability, the use of EHRs, big data and health technologies are restricted.

Decentralised health systems, such as the Canadian model, or countries with several systems that cannot be integrated, such as NHS England, illustrate that a robust HIS with interoperability requires an holistic view of the health system, both public and private.

The final commonality is the instillment of confidence among data subjects, or the population as a whole, that data is collected for a specific purpose and stored safely and securely. Modern HIS can empower patients utilise their data to inform data-based decision-making about their care pathways. Likewise, telemedicine has ensured that patients were able to access care remotely, lessening the unmet need for healthcare during the pandemic.

Irish context Developments in health information systems in Ireland and internationally demonstrates significant disparities in HIS, health data infrastructure and the deployment of health technologies across Ireland’s healthcare system. At the most basic level, and as exposed

The ESRI report identifies several areas within the Irish healthcare system within which there are omissions in the recording, collection, and collation of patient data, particularly in relation to healthcare utilisation and expenditure.

As a result, for example, in the absence of IHIs, the HIPE dataset cannot track accompany patients between hospitals.

In the private sector, providers offer insufficient insight into the total care and types of care that they undertake.

This acts as a barrier to the development of a comprehensive and resilient HIS in Ireland.

However, the adoption and integration of eHealth solutions gathered some momentum. For instance, eReferrals and ePrescriptions are now established components of the Irish healthcare system. The Irish National Epilepsy Electronic Patient Record and the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) have transformed care pathways and enhanced contact between patients and clinicians. This acts as a template for further expansion to wider patient populations in the pursuit of a national EHR. Once this is established, as illustrated by England’s OPENSafely platform, data analytics platforms can deliver insights for patients, clinicians, and policymakers to help plan and deliver improved care.

Telemedicine The pandemic has also had a disruptive impact on engagement with the healthcare system. As a result, telemedicine has rapidly established itself as a central pillar both of healthcare in Ireland and beyond.

Telemedicine consultations are now occurring almost as regularly as inperson consultations in both primary and acute care settings. Figures

Amid this swell in digital health, a considerable challenge exists in relation to the security of personal data. The Council of Europe acknowledged this in its Digital solutions to fight Covid-19 report in which it notes: “The quantum leap in the digitalisation of our lives requires that measures adopted by governments during the health crisis uphold the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data.” To this end, data protection will be the constituent factor in delivering patient trust in digital healthcare solutions. This will, to have some degree, been undermined by the recent HSE data breach in which a cyberattack exploited vulnerabilities to expose patient data in an attempt to extract a ransom payment.

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Therefore, as acknowledged by the HSE leadership in 2016, the adoption of an IHI and national EHR could transform the Irish healthcare system.

The creation of eHealth Ireland was a fundamental component of the HIS journey in Ireland. Between 2018 and 2021, capital funding for ICT projects has doubled to €120 million. At the same time, less than 0.8 per cent of the €20.62 billion health budget for 2021 will be allocated to eHealth and ICT.

emerging from NHS England indicate that the proportion of telemedicine consultations has increased from 14 per cent to 40 per cent since the onset of the pandemic. While the data is less complete in Ireland, the Irish Medical Council has indicated that similar increases have occurred.

Conclusion Informed by its findings, the ESRI report outlines six key policy recommendations relating to HIS, health data infrastructure and health informatics. These are: 1. that a national HIS is developed, leading to the comprehensive adoption of the IHI and a national EHR across both the public and private healthcare systems; 2. that health data infrastructure be robust, structured and rigorous, encompassing data from both public and private providers; 3. that data protection and cybersecurity measures are aligned with relevant legislation and the GDPR; 4. that investment in current and capital ICT and eHealth be continued; 5. that digital health literacy be enhanced to ensure that the public, including vulnerable cohorts, understands the benefits of eHealth and can access eHealth services; and 6. that the healthcare workforce is acknowledged as fundamental to the successful integration of a HIS. 89

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What can we learn from the HSE and Department of Health ransomware attacks?

Ireland appeared to be shaken to the core by the recent cyberattack on the HSE and the Department of Health, but once past the initial shock, it is time for an in-depth look at the Irish cybersecurity infrastructure and whether such attacks could not have been anticipated, detected, or prevented.

In 2017, the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom came to a standstill because of an attack by the notorious WannaCry ransomware that paralysed their computers. The recovery was long and cost the NHS £92 million, but were any lessons learned on this side of the Irish Sea? Let’s have a quick look at the details we know and how the matters could have been handled differently.

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It has been reported that 700 gigabytes of the HSE’s data was allegedly exfiltrated by the cybercriminals. Given that the data is stated to be of a sensitive nature, content aware data leak prevention (DLP) could have been useful in preventing the movement of such data. Content aware DLP software aims to prevent intentional (and accidental) leakage of sensitive data by first identifying the data (using some rules written by the administrator) and then controlling who can access the data, how they can interact with it (and when), and where it can be moved.

The utilisation of a cloud sandboxing 90

solution can also be effective in combating ransomware infections and zero-day threats. A properly configured cloud sandboxing product will temporarily pause the execution/opening of any unknown files until they are analysed in an operating system in the cloud. If a file is found to be malicious, execution is stopped and the file removed, with detections being provided to all the other endpoints on the network. If the file is benign, it will be allowed to run. Sometimes the most effective way of detecting what a piece of unknown software will do is to simply let it run and monitor its behaviour. It’s obviously too dangerous to do this on protected network hence the utility of cloud sandboxing solutions.

Given that the reports suggest the attackers “lived” in the network for approximately two weeks, it must be asked if the HSE's security team were utilising an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution. EDR products aim to detect the movement and actions of attackers in a protected network by

reporting seemingly innocuous events to security teams for analysis. Things like the commands they would have run, the files they would have changed, the login attempts they would have made, etc.

These actions when flagged by a proper solution should ring alarm bells for any security operation centre analyst and trigger an immediate investigation. In short, a correctly configured EDR solution would have flagged events typical with lateral movement to analysts.

ESET Ireland continuously stresses the importance of a thoroughly planned defensive posture and a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity. While there is no such thing as 100 per cent security, by applying comprehensive preventive measures, the bar can definitely be raised to an extent that makes it a lot harder for cybercriminals to carry out major disruptions.

ESET Ireland T: 053 914 66 00 E: info@eset.ie W: eset.ie

WHO publishes its global digital health strategy health tech report

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published its Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025 as it looks to “improve health for everyone, everywhere by accelerating the development and adoption of appropriate, accessible, affordable, scalable and sustainable person centric digital health solutions”.

The publication of the strategy marks an end to a long process that began with the 2005 resolution on eHealth that urged WHO member states “to consider drawing up a long-term strategic plan for developing and implementing eHealth services… to develop the infrastructure for information and communication technologies for health… to promote equitable, affordable and universal access to their benefits”. In the meantime, further resolutions had been passed at WHO level and passed by the United Nations and World Health Assembly. A draft digital health strategy covering 2020-2024 was initially published in the summer of 2020, but the strategy proper has now been published.

The strategy states that digital health will be adopted if it “is accessible and supports equitable and universal access to quality health services; enhances the efficiency and sustainability of health systems in delivering quality, affordable and equitable care; and strengthens and scales up health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis, management, rehabilitation and palliative care including before, during and after an epidemic or pandemic, in a system that respects the privacy and security of patient health information”. It is recommended within that adoption of digital health technologies be a component of any national strategy, although it is acknowledged that this will be a challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Member states are advised that exploring the potential of global solutions should be a part of their national strategies.

The purpose of the strategy is “to strengthen health systems through the application of digital health technologies for consumers, health professionals, health care providers and industry towards empowering patients and achieving the vision of health for all” and it emphasises that “health data are to be classified as sensitive personal data, or personally identifiable information, that require a high safety and security standard”.

The strategy is guided by four principles: 1. “Acknowledge that institutionalisation of digital health in the national health system requires a decision and commitment by countries”: Each country owns its digital health action plan built on the strategy within its own national context and should adopt digital health in a way that is “sustainable, respects their sovereignty, and best suits their culture and values, national health policy, vision, goals, health and wellbeing needs, and available resources”.

2. “Recognise that successful digital health initiatives require an integrated strategy”: Member states should be aware that for digital health initiatives to reach their potential, they should be “part of the wider health needs and the digital health ecosystem and guided by a robust strategy that integrates leadership, financial, organizational, human and technological resources and is used as the basis for a costed action plan which enables coordination among multiple stakeholders”.

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3. “Promote the appropriate use of digital technologies for health”: The strategy “underscores the need to ground digital foundations within national strategies and emphasises the need to work with different sectors and stakeholders at all levels” and states that the “appropriate use of digital health takes the following dimensions into consideration: health promotion and disease prevention, patient safety, ethics, interoperability, intellectual property, data security (confidentiality, integrity, and availability), privacy, cost-effectiveness, patient engagement, and affordability”.

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4. “Recognise the urgent need to address the major impediments faced by leastdeveloped countries implementing digital health technologies”: There is a “pressing need” to engage with and invest in the issues developing nations face in engaging with digital health, such as “an appropriate enabling environment, sufficient resources, infrastructure to support the digital transformation, education, human capacity, financial investment and internet connectivity”.

These four principles then inform the four strategic objectives of the strategy: 1. Promote global collaboration and advance the transfer of knowledge on digital health: Member states are instructed to share their knowledge of and investments in digital health across domains in order to align countries strategically. The policy initiatives recommended to achieve this goal include the establishment of mechanisms for strengthening national digital health strategies and implementing key collaborations, the establishment of a knowledge management approach to identify and share good practices and the supporting of countries in establishing information centres for disease surveillance.

2. Advance the implementation of national digital health strategies: Under this objective, the WHO aims to “stimulate and support every country to adopt or review, own, and strengthen its national digital health strategy” through defining a national digital health architecture blueprint or roadmap and adopting opensource health data standards, while aiming for reusable systems or assets including interoperability of health information systems both at national and international levels.

3. Strengthen governance for digital health at global, regional and national levels: The WHO is seeking to strengthen the governance of digital health at local and international levels “through the creation of sustainable and robust governance structures”, including regulatory frameworks. Under this goal, the WHO calls on its member states to “coordinate investments in evidence-based approaches to assess promote and disseminate new and innovative health technologies for national scaled digital health programmes using a person-centred approach to facilitate actions and investments based on informed decisions”.

4. Advocate people-centred health systems that are enabled by digital health: This objective “advances digital health literacy, gender equality and women’s empowerment and inclusive approaches to adoption and management of digital health technologies” and “places people at the centre of digital health through the adoption and use of digital health technologies in scaling up and strengthening health service delivery”. This is to be achieved by developing approaches to the management of health at the population level through digital health applications that move health and well-being from reactive-care models to active communitybased models, reducing the burden of data collection from front-line workers by reorienting reporting-based tools into service delivery tools and establishing, monitoring and evaluating models to facilitate the contribution of digital systems to health system processes.

The WHO says it will take steps to implement a measurement model to evaluate the action plan and the stated set of outputs in collaboration with national centres, the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023. They state that the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework that promotes a biennial enhancement of the global digital health strategy is “also warranted”.

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Medical devices regulation and create fair market access for manufacturers.

health tech report

Speaking as the regulation came into force, Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “This is an important step forward for the protection of patients across Europe. The new rules improve the safety and quality of medical devices while providing more transparency for patients and less administrative burden for businesses.

The legislation will strengthen innovation and our international competitiveness, ensuring that we are ready for any new and emerging challenges.”

Credit: Tom Claes

Separately from the MDR, a regulatory framework applicable to in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices is set to come into force on 26 May 2022. In vitro diagnostic medical devices are used to perform tests on samples, include HIV blood tests, pregnancy tests, Covid-19 tests and blood sugar monitoring systems for diabetics.

In May 2021, a year later than scheduled, stronger rules on medical devices were introduced across the EU. The Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) was politically agreed across the EU’s Parliament, Commission and Council in May 2017 and was set to become fully applicable in May 2020 following a three-year transition period. The outbreak of Covid-19, however, saw a 12-month delay imposed on the application as device manufacturers turned their attention to addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic.

The MDR became fully applicable on 26 May, 2021 and represents a strengthening of the existing regulatory system for medical devices across Europe and a replacement of the original directives which had been in place for some 25 years. As a regulation, rather than a directive, the MDR is directly applicable at national level, without the requirement for transposition through national legislation, enabling greater legal certainty and preventing variation in the 94

rules relating to medical devices across member states.

The regulation covers over 500,000 types of medical devices on the EU market, ranging from hip replacements to sticking plasters. Medical devices are defined as those that have a fundamental role in saving lives by providing innovative healthcare solutions for the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, prediction, prognosis, treatment or alleviation of disease.

It does not overwrite the fundamental components of the current regulatory systems but aims to strengthen them through addressing identified gaps or weaknesses and gives consideration to technological and regulatory developments in the medical technology sector.

At its core, it aims to increase transparency, improve clinical safety

The three main aspects of the MDR, for which the National Standards Authority of Ireland is the sole notified body (subject to supervision by the Health Products Regulatory Authority) in Ireland, are: Quality, safety, reliability and improvement: Tighter controls are imposed on high-risk devices, such as implants, and consultation of a pool of EU level experts is required before devices are placed on the market.

Additionally, clinical evaluations, investigations and the notified bodies that approve the certification of medical devices will be subject to tighter controls; Strengthens transparency and information: Vital information for patients will be easier to find with the European database of medical devices (EUDAMED) containing information about each medical device on the market, including economic operators and certificates issued by notified bodies. Additionally, each device will have a unique device identifier, to make sure it is findable on the database; and Enhance vigilance and market surveillance: Manufacturers will be required to collect data about the devices’ performance once it is on the market and member states will improve coordination on vigilance and market surveillance.

Three pillars of digital transformation

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departmental structures. This delivers cost savings and improved patient experience through efficiency. By adding artificial intelligence and robotic process automation we can also remove the mundane work and reduce error rates leaving your staff free to deliver the real value-added services, those that need a human touch. Our experience has been that staff who are impacted by this type of change experience an increase in job satisfaction, patient satisfaction increases, and complaints go down.

Low code platforms enable digital transformation

Public service is more proactive in digital transformation than people think and typically uses three key pillars for change writes Peter Rose, CIO of TEKenable.

The advent of Covid accelerated the need for digital transformation across the public and private sectors where there was already a fast pace of change. We have worked with the HSE delivering contact tracing and the PPE ordering system (amongst others) but even before Covid, TEKenable worked with Dublin City Council to deliver Voter.ie, providing online registration to vote, with An Post to deliver Ad Mailer, a digital transformation of postal advertising campaigns and Mayo County Council to streamline recruitment, all based on the three pillars below.

If you are still requiring paper forms, you are accepting the responsibility and cost of correcting the inevitable errors and omissions. Providing online selfservice capabilities to your patients/staff is a “no-brainer”. It ensures data quality at point of entry eliminating the chase processes that are required to deal with errors on paper forms and enables the end user to engage at their convenience. We refer to this approach

Pillar Two: Customer engagement CRM is a bit old hat now; customer engagement is the new gun in town.

Create an omni-channel communications hub including bots and personalisation, centralising customer data, integrate it with a workflow layer that spans siloed IT systems and crosses departmental boundaries, and you will deliver an optimum experience.

Customer-facing staff will have full visibility of the customer and managers a full view of the processes and any bottle necks.

Pillar Three: Back-office process automation

We use low code platforms such as Microsoft’s Power Platform in conjunction with the power of the Azure cloud to tackle in-depth and complex challenges, making application development much more efficient, flexible, and responsive to change.

Dynamics 365 and Power Platform from TEKenable can deliver Self-Service with Customer Engagement, can support back-office Process Automation and apply Advanced AI and RPA to improve efficiency with much of this not needing to be built, it is out of the box.

Talk to us if you are interested in seeing what can be done when you have the right tools!

Peter Rose TEKenable Ltd – Harmony Court, Harmony Row, Dublin 2 peter.rose@tekenable.com +353 87 271 2660 www.tekenable.ie

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Pillar One: Self-service

to data quality as: “Clean the river, not the lake.”

With major change programmes commencing in many government departments, local authorities, and the public sector in general there is a key differentiator between success and failure, the IT tools used to deliver that change.

The Self-Service pillar removes some non-value adding processes from the back office, but it is not the full story.

Building on the customer engagement layer, back-office processes can now also span the artificial boundaries created by legacy IT systems and 95

Credit: Bermix Studio

health tech report

Irish health tech statistics Ireland is a base for a thriving health tech sector, with collaboration between industry, third-level institutions and government constituting one of its key attributes. Today, it is one of Europe’s leading medical technology centres.

More than 300

medical technology companies are based in Ireland 70% of these companies are engaged in R&D

¹⁴⁄ ¹⁵

of the world’s top medical technology multinationals have operations in Ireland 96

38,000

Irish people are directly employed by medical technology companies Alongside Switzerland, Ireland is second only to Germany in terms of the number of people per capita employed in Europe’s medical technology industry health tech report

€12.6 billion

Total value of Ireland’s medical technology exports This represents 8% of Ireland’s merchandise exports

2nd largest

exporter of medical technology products in Europe

33%

of the world’s contact lenses are manufactured in Ireland

80%

of global stent production occurs in Ireland

Over 30 million

75%

of orthopaedic knee production occurs in Ireland

people with diabetes use Irish-made injectable devices

This is over 25% of the global population of people with diabetes Source: IDA 97

Virtual health: The next frontier

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leaders also cited remote monitoring as a key area for future investment. Prior to the pandemic, McKinsey “found that health systems, under value-based care arrangements, demonstrated 17 per cent savings when they provided virtual care with their existing healthcare professionals instead of using an outsourced provider”, showing the opportunity that exists for providers to embrace the technologies from both a modernising and a financial standpoint.

Particularly relevant to the Irish context could be the opportunities that exist to promote efficiency through models like tele-ICU and change-capacity use through “hospital at home” (HaH) models. Examples of models cited by McKinsey that could be of use in rural Ireland where access to speciality services is scare include:

As automation comes to the fore of daily life and the Covid-19 pandemic leaves healthcare providers looking for alternative methods to deliver treatment, boost quality of care and decrease spending, virtual health strategies may begin to become a more common mode of healthcare delivery.

Virtual health has long been heralded as the next breakthrough in health technology, but its adoption has varied between slow to non-existent from country to country. Virtual health can be broadly broken down into three categories: telehealth, digital therapeutics, and care navigation.

These categories further break down into subcategories such as synchronous and asynchronous telehealth, remote patient monitoring, replacement therapies, treatment optimisation, patient self-directed care and e-triage. Commonwealth Fund research showed that adult primary care and behavioural health showed smaller declines in total visits during the pandemic than surgical/procedural specialties.

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These smaller declines illustrate the fact that primary care and behavioural health visits can be accomplished by evaluation and management only as opposed to surgical specialities. Such differences in specialities suggest that opportunities are there for the further rollout of virtual health technologies, such as remote monitoring, which could allow both primary care and specialty care practices to expand their virtual patient interactions.

A pre-pandemic survey of health system leaders performed by McKinsey and Company in 2019 revealed that “virtual health adoption was highly concentrated in synchronous telemedicine, with limited investment in the full suite of available virtual health technologies”. These health system

•

a regional health system that provides virtual specialist visits and tele-ICU coverage in partnership with local rural health systems to extend access to services;

•

a regional health system that partners with a third-party provider of virtual primary care to extend its primary care capacity and creates linkages to its specialty practices;

•

an academic medical centre (AMC) that provides virtual specialty care that consumers access directly from different geographies, with some consumers choosing to travel for care; and

•

a regional health system that provides primary and specialty care through physical and virtual applications, and partners with an AMC to access virtual sub-specialty care.

The HaH setting in particular could be of significant benefit in Ireland, where an ageing population can often be matched with rural isolation, meaning that the implementation of HaH could mean both a reduction in travel for many patients and a reduction in healthcare-associated infections.

Covid-19 has prompted much talk of a “new normal”; in healthcare, it appears the time is ripe for the new normal to incorporate the disruption that has been talked about long before the outbreak of the pandemic.

Leveraging new technology to deliver responsive nursing and midwifery regulation

At NMBI we are leveraging new technology to continue our important work as a regulator, in the face of a global pandemic, while also progressing our digitisation and modernisation agenda to adapt to the evolving needs of the health sector. As we hopefully emerge from the worst of the pandemic it is time to build on what we have done best during the height of the crisis, and we are now using new technologies and better ways of working to create a more agile and responsive regulator.

The role of NMBI As the regulator for nurses and midwives in Ireland, our mission is to protect the public and the integrity of the professions of nursing and midwifery.

We focus on three areas specifically: • Publication and maintenance of the Register of Nurses and Midwives and the Candidate Register; • Education standards and requirements; and • Complaints about the practice or behaviour of a nurse or midwife.

Using technology to modernise

Fitness to practise As the regulator, NMBI is legally responsible for considering complaints against nurses and midwives who

This change, using new technology, was born out of necessity but has proved beneficial. Now that restrictions have eased, we are keeping the best of what we created to help improve the way we work. A hybrid approach is being taken to inquiries, with some participants physically present and others participating online.

hard to address these and to ensure that we learned from them. I am confident that over time the benefit of digitisation will significantly outweigh the teething problems experienced.

NMBI is on a journey to becoming a more efficient and effective regulator and new technology is enabling us to better deliver on our mandate of upholding the high standards of nursing and midwifery in Ireland and ensuring

Education Our education team is using new technology to evolve the way they work and ensure they are more agile, carrying out virtual site inspections. These are proving successful, and more are planned.

public safety.

E: communications@nmbi.ie W: www.nmbi.ie

Registration New technology is also driving change in our registration process. In the past year we have broken new ground with the launch of our digital platform MyNMBI. We were the first healthcare regulator to digitise all of our registration processes, allowing registrants to avail of a range of services online and leading to the collection of better data.

As with all new technology there was a bedding-in period and there were some user-experience issues at the outset of this new system, but our teams worked

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NMBI is on a journey to provide a more modern, responsive, and agile model of service provision and regulation.

Technology is central to this journey, and I believe it is important to embrace it and use it to drive positive change and allow us to work better together in new ways.

practise in Ireland, to ensure the protection of the public and the safeguarding of confidence in the nursing and midwifery professions. The pandemic brought a halt to the running of onsite/in-person inquiries. Our fitness to practise team responded quickly.

Online inquiry solutions were identified, tested, and rolled out, after engaging with those involved. Since December 2020, 17 inquiries have concluded in online or in hybrid form, over 37 inquiry days.

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These are times of both change and challenge, for the health sector and for NMBI, and the way in which we respond will define our future, writes Sheila McClelland, the CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

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Realising the benefits of eHealth is not simply a technological endeavour, a new report into the social and ethical implications of eHealth policy in Ireland by the Oireachtas’ Library and Research Service states.

Unlocking the potential of eHealth solutions requires “careful attention to the interdependencies between people, process and technology”, the report, written by Tim Jacquemard, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland researcherin-residence, states. Published in March 2021, the report says that eHealth solutions are “often complex, largescale projects with significant economic, social and ethical implications” and that “a failure to address these interdependencies can lead to undesirable outcomes, such as privacy breaches, wasted monies and project collapse”.

Through its examination of Irish eHealth legislation, its implementation by governmental and non-governmental bodies and case studies such as the

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Covid Tracker App, the report identified 10 policy issues for eHealth in Ireland.

1.

Irish policy and debate consider eHealth to be a critical enabler of healthcare reform

Activity around eHealth in Ireland is constantly growing, and public debate “ascribe[s] eHealth the ability to transform the Irish healthcare into a more patient-centric, integrated and cost-effective system. The Programme for Government, Sláintecare, and the National Development Plan all make specific mention of eHealth, while the past 10 years have seen the partial rollout of a number of initiatives, such as the individual health identifier and ePrescribing. Other national projects

which will provide the basis of national eHealth in the decades to come, such as the national health record, are said to be “under development”.

2.

A failure to identify and address social and ethical implications can impact the success of eHealth technology

The report states that among the factors that determine the success of successful eHealth applications are “the social and ethical values of stakeholders, their organisations, and the cultural and political context”, meaning that the social, political and ethical values that are important in the Irish context must be factored in when

designing these applications. A failure to do so “may lead to public backlash, lost investments or suboptimal functioning of the technology”. The social and ethical implications of eHealth “can be considered at the earliest stage of technology development” and “can help guide the design, development, implementation, and use of the technology”, the report states.

“The research performed by Jacquemard ‘found no

3.

The benefits of eHealth discussed in Irish policy fit with the “quadruple aim” method of improving healthcare by improving individual experience of care, improving the health of populations, reducing the per capita cost of care for populations and improving the clinician experience of care. The discussion on eHealth and health improvements in Ireland “aligns closely with a more contemporary understanding of health as a person’s ability to adapt and to self-manage”. Benefits for clinicians are said to be mentioned less frequently.

The report identified seven clusters of ethical and social challenges and opportunities in relation to eHealth: privacy; equality; human relationships; patient empowerment and vendor relationships; benefit and risks; responsibility; and transparency and trust. All seven clusters “include both opportunities to achieve socially and ethically desirable outcomes as well as challenges to avoid undesirable outcomes” with identification of benefits and risks critical to the success of these projects.

4.

This research found no systematic approaches to address ethical and social implications of eHealth within Ireland

Worryingly, the research performed by Jacquemard “found no systematic approaches in Irish policy to address the ethical or social implications of eHealth”. He suggests that either the HSE or HIQA would be well-equipped to lead in this area.

5.

Ethical values are not explicitly mentioned in Irish policy on eHealth

The research also found there to be no explicit mention of ethical values in Irish eHealth policies, with such ethical values left to “only appear implicit within Irish policy and debates around eHealth”.

6.

Irish policy and debate emphasise benefits for healthcare improvement

ethical or social implications of eHealth’. He suggests that either the HSE or HIQA would be well-equipped to lead in this area.”

7.

Other clusters of social and ethical opportunities are mentioned less frequently in policy documents and debates on eHealth

While the report says that the issues covered in the Irish debate around eHealth are pertinent, it also states that “other relevant benefits exist”. The questions Jacquemard suggests to be considered are: “how can eHealth improve the work experience of clinicians?”; “how can technology improve the relationship between clinician and patient?” and “how can eHealth make communication more secure?”

8.

Irish policy and debate emphasise challenges associated with privacy and data protection

Perhaps understandably given what has transpired since the publication of the report in March, Jacquemard says “the challenges mentioned concern mostly privacy and data protection” in the Irish context of eHealth discussions, unlike at EU level, where the challenges of eHealth itself are the focus. The report warns that “reducing ethical and social concerns to privacy and data protection can lead to suboptimal technology, as eHealth presents a wider range of ethical challenges”.

9.

Many of the social and ethical opportunities in Irish policy leave room for interpretation

health tech report

eHealth offers many ethical and social opportunities and challenges

systematic approaches in Irish policy to address the

The report states that the “ethically and socially relevant benefits and challenges mentioned in policy are general aims and objectives”, which means that the “high level of abstraction leaves the ethical and social opportunities open to interpretation”.

One example cited is that the eHealth Strategy for Ireland makes mention of the digital divide but does not elaborate on how eHealth might help to bridge that divide, and that the divide is not mentioned in the eHealth section of Sláintecare. Questions in this are to be considered, Jacquemard suggests, are: “Which parts of the population will gain better access and who will benefit the most?”; and “how will people who lack the requisite digital and health literacy skills be supported?”

10. Irish eHealth policy focuses mainly on policy for health services devices Irish “eHealth policy is focused on health service reform: the technologies emphasised in the policies reflect this focus on service reform”, with the technologies discussed in the Irish context, such as electronic health records, ePortals, telehealth, and ePrescribing, aimed at improving relations between health service providers and patients. The report notes that EU health policies “tend to focus on consumer technologies as well, such as mobile health, social media, and wearable devices”. With consumer technologies now so ubiquitous, the report states that the “HSE may increasingly integrate consumer apps, for example videoconferencing for telehealth”.

Healthcare organisations and consumers need protection against inadequate technology, Jacquemard says, noting that “apps may contain disinformation, lack security updates, or show poor regulatory compliance”.

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Credit: Ani Kolleshi.

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Pandemic-driven health tech The outbreak of Covid-19 drove rapid rollout of technology-led care provision, necessitated by a need to offer digital-first care solutions.

Historically slow to adopt new innovations at pace, healthcare has for a long time been recognised as an area in which technology could drive greater efficiencies and outcomes. However, a number of notable barriers have stood in the way of integration of digital solutions, not least, regulatory barriers, an unwillingness to modify and collaborate existing systems and cost.

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delivery, has altered that mindset. In fact, experts assess that such was the extent of the boom in health tech innovation over the past year and a half that progress is now irreversible and will form a basis for greater innovations in the near future.

While the potential benefits of things like telehealth, data-driven diagnostics, and augmented reality (AR) are well known, the rigid structures of the health service and the scale of the transformation required, led many to accept that the pace of integration of health tech solutions at scale would be slow.

Two distinct trends have underpinned much of the current innovation. The first is a change of culture. The Covid-19 response required unprecedented levels of flexibility and cemented the role of technology within the sector as an enabler. Where previously health tech innovation had to slowly navigate preventative structure and barriers, historic hesitancy of innovation adoption was reversed in favour of speedy deployment and fresh agility.

The pandemic and the subsequent response, including rapid deployment of health tech solutions to address the much-changed landscape of service

A second key trend was a more structured move to demand-led health tech solutions. Health tech companies had a greater understanding of the

challenges facing the health service and worked to deliver solutions to real-time problems. Recognition of immediate benefits to technology adoption has aided the willingness of the sector to integrate these new innovations.

As a result, much of the technological innovation has tended to focus on new applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and data platforms, automating regular tasks historically carried out by medical professionals and also providing remote access to medical advice for patients.

Remote healthcare solutions have dominated the health tech boom. A transition to solutions such as online consultations, diagnosis and treatment has been necessitated by social distancing requirements and protection of healthcare staff and patients.

Some examples of emerging health tech solutions include:

health tech report

Greater levels of openness to digital health were exemplified by the rollout across Europe of Covid-19 contact tracing apps. For many citizens, the need to slow the spread of the virus overwrote concerns they held about consenting to their movements and personal information being tracked. A clear willingness from citizens to share their personal information for the benefit of the wider population is an encouraging evolution for further innovations in the use of big data, whereby data availability and accessibility enables more precise trend analysis. Ireland’s Covid tracker app had been downloaded by more than one million people by July 2020, just five months after the first case of Covid-19 was identified on the island. Collaboration between the technology industry and the health services facilitated the use of existing technology, such as GPS mapping, to update health records, track clusters and provide treatments. Interestingly, the app also enhanced the levels of personal responsibility on citizens to update and record their own symptoms.

Credit: Markus Winkler.

Track and trace

Credit: Lukas Blazek.

As well as national rollouts, interoperability was also built into some of the apps deployed across Europe. In Ireland, both health services recognised the wider benefits of using an app which worked in both jurisdictions and in October 2020, the EU Commission and member states set up a European Federation Gateway Service which facilitated the connection of up to 20 national tracing apps. This change of mindset to enable greater openness of data has been pinpointed as an opportunity to enhance healthcare deliver of the future.

Big data For many, the term big data relates to the commercialisation potential of personal information but there is also a realisation that the increased use of technology is also creating mountains of data. The ability to mine those data mountains offers benefits beyond commercialisation, not least to better plan healthcare delivery of the future. Data analytics is far from a new concept, but the pandemic has brought about a culture change, with many of the pre-existing barriers to data accessibility and sharing now beginning to ease. It has also served to highlight the importance of quality data collection. How data is recorded and stored is of equal, if not greater importance than the amount of data gathered, with a realisation that greater access to better quality data should enhance predictive analytics.

itute.

Covid-19 has served as an example of how this could develop. Healthcare providers continue to monitor trends in patient recovery from the virus and data from technologies such as wearables are helping to form an understanding of lasting effects both nationally and internationally. Greater access to quality data is also of major benefit to those delivering health tech solutions. Tailored solutions built on real-time data will drive efficiencies and suitability of future health tech innovations and will also broaden the market, be enabling new or emerging technology providers greater access to beneficial information.

Telehealth

Credit: National Cancer Inst

At the end of 2020, the Medical Council Ireland published research which suggested a fivefold increase in the use of telemedicine since the beginning of the pandemic.

The research estimated that by October 2020 over 20 per cent of the population had used telemedicine compared to just 4 per cent in March 2020. Telemedicine is a broad-term and includes healthcare service access across a wide-range of applications ranging from telephone to Skype and Zoom. Prior to the pandemic, use of telemedicine in Ireland was largely limited to specific circumstances such as where a patient was experiencing sever mobility challenges, however, Covid-19 has largely necessitated a culture shift to a digital-first approach. At a basic level, this has meant that non-urgent interactions with the health service such as repeat prescription or minor illness are being carried out through digital means. However, telehealth provision has also involved the integration of several technologies. One example is the provision of in-home technology to allow patients who require regular monitoring and treatment to record their own information, such as their blood pressure, to inform the healthcare provider prior to a digital consultation.

The evolution of telehealth applications has also enhanced confidence in digital security among both providers and patients. However, the ransomware attack on the HSE in May 2021 will have served as an example of the challenges associated with greater levels of technology integration.

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Strategy published to avoid Irish EU jobs cliff-edge The Government has launched its strategy to increase the number of Irish graduates being hired for EU jobs as a number of impending retirements have brought about fears of a waning of influence in Brussels.

Fearing the approach of a “huge demographic cliff-edge” with many senior Irish officials in Brussels due to retire soon, the Government has drawn up a strategy, A Career for EU, in order to increase the Irish presence in the halls of European institutions. As things currently stand, just ‘one or two’ Irish graduates are being hired into the European system per year, at a time when post-Brexit realities mean that Ireland will need to bolster its influence at the European level.

Attempts to recruit more Irish graduates have been said to have been previously hampered by a lack of qualifications or competency in major European languages other than English, and by the lengthy recruitment process involved. The strategy will expand the existing EU Jobs campaign, with increased promotion and outreach to second- and third-level students in order to increase the rate of hires at the European level to five per year, meaning a total of 50 new hires would be in place by 2030.

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Main aims within the strategy also include the provision of tailored support and training to all Irish candidates applying for posts in the EU institutions, as well as additional resources dedicated to supporting the use of Irish as an official EU language, including by making training material available in Irish.

The funding for the Centrally Funded Scheme for Seconded National Experts, which seconds Irish civil servants to roles in Brussels will also be increased, meaning that the total number of Irish civil servants provided to EU institutions per year will be more than doubled, from 24 to 50. The current scholarship programme will also be expanded, enabling at least 10 Irish post graduate students to study at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin. A stream within the Irish Civil Service for EU specialists, who will receive help in applying for roles within EU institutions, will also be created.

Speaking upon the launch of the strategy, Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne TD said: “A Career for EU

sets out the measures we will take to make sure Ireland maintains its influence within the EU’s institutions for years to come. Some of the jobs available include lawyer linguists, pharmacists in the EMA and animal welfare officers to name but a few. We want to ensure Irish citizens continue to serve in the EU institutions.

By doing so, we will remain at the heart of Europe, shaping the future of our shared union.”

A Career for EU has been strategised and published at a time when Ireland is facing a ‘demographic cliff’ with regard to its representation among the staff of the EU’s institutions. At present, Ireland is “adequately represented” in staffing levels across the EU institutions, but it has fewer officials at the entry and midmanagement levels than “should otherwise be the case”.

The European Commission is the EU institutions’ biggest employer, with 30,000 staff working in Brussels, Luxembourg, other EU member states, and around the

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30,000 staff working in for EU institutions in Brussels, Luxembourg, other EU member states, and around the world in EU Delegations.

227 Irish people currently work in the Commission as administrators.

78 Irish people are forecast to depart between 2021 and 2025.

69 Irish people needed to be working at AD5–AD8 grade to have geographical balance.

50 Irish people currently working in AD5-AD8 policy posts in the Commission.

world in EU delegations. 227 Irish people currently work in the Commission as administrators, including managers and linguists, but 78 of these are forecast to depart between 2021 and 2025, greatly affecting Ireland’s representation at the Commission. 50 Irish people currently work between the entry level generalist grade of AD5 and the more mid-level AD8, but the strategy states that Ireland should have 69 people at these levels in order to achieve national representative balance. This desired balance is calculated by comparing each country’s share of the total EU population; following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the Irish State’s share of that total now stands at 1.1 per cent. “The number of Irish people securing permanent jobs in the EU in recent years has fluctuated and in general is below the EU average,” the strategy states.

The strategy has three key areas of focus: • promoting of careers in the EU institutions in Ireland, in particular within the education system, to encourage more Irish applicants for EU posts; • greater support and training for Irish people interested in careers in the EU’s institutions; and

• promoting the reform of the EU’s recruitment process to ensure more Irish people get posts in the institutions.

For the promotion of careers in the EU institutions, the Government has pledged to: improve outreach to secondary schools on EU jobs; create information packs and host tailormade online and inperson events with secondary school students in Ireland and Northern Ireland; promote awareness of career opportunities in the institutions that are available to those with a high level of Irish and to students who speak another EU language in the home; engage with guidance counsellors through the Institute of Guidance Counsellors on careers in the EU Institutions; improve outreach to second-level students in Ireland through PPLI to promote the importance of language-learning and EU careers; intensify engagement with careers offices in third-level institutes in Ireland; and engage with careers offices in third-level institutions in Northern Ireland.

In terms of equipping Irish people with the skills to succeed at the European level, the Government pledges to provide candidates with guidance on how they should prepare for interviews and assessments in their second language, promote the learning of European languages at second- and third-level in

conjunction with the Department of Education’s existing Languages Connect Strategy, create and provide practice material and training to candidates in the Irish language, in addition to the material made available in English, provide at least 10 scholarships per year to Irish students studying at the College of Europe, and promote post graduate courses in European Affairs in the College of Europe and in other similar institutions to Irish students through the EU Jobs campaign.

Finally, to fulfil its pledge to encourage the reform of the EU recruitment process, the Government will: engage with the European Institutions and the European Personnel Selection Office on any future reform of the EU’s recruitment process; and work with “like-minded member states” to ensure that the structural problems leading to geographical imbalances in the staffing of the EU Institutions are addressed.

“Ireland’s membership of the European Union has helped to transform the country,” the strategy concludes. “We are committed to keeping our place at the heart of Europe for years to come, and to Irish officials continuing to play a central role in the work of the institutions and agencies across the continent. This strategy will help to make sure that this happens.”

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Ireland pushes for CAP flexibility Flexibility for member states to design their own Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans remains a key request of Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, after a provisional deal was agreed in late June 2021.

European Commissioner Frans Timmermans announced a provisional agreement had been reached by national governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission, following three years of tense negotiations.

The deal will still require formal approval by member state agriculture ministers and the European Parliament but has been largely welcomed following a failure to reach agreement in mid-June.

Failure to conclude future CAP policy had centred on resistance to the levels to which the EU is trying to align farming and its Green Deal, including a curb on the level of subsidies available.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue had met with fellow agriculture ministers in mid-June as part of an informal meeting organised by Portugal’s head of the EU Agriculture Council, Maria do Céu Antunes, in what he described as a critical stage of the CAP negotiations.

The informal meeting came in the days prior to a ‘super trialogue’ meeting, between the European Parliament and

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the Council of the European Union, mediated by the European Commission, designed to reach a final agreement.

According to the Department, the Minister “again stressed the need for the reform outcome to provide the maximum possible flexibility for member states to design their CAP strategic plans”.

In late May, ambitions to conclude the rules of a future CAP over the next seven years were not realised as some member states continued to push for a lowering of the amount of the €387 billion funding which is to be allocated for green ecoschemes and to limit the move to ensure subsidies are shared out more evenly among farmers.

McConalogue had urged the Portuguese presidency to ensure the principle of flexibility underpins its engagements with other institutions.

The current CAP was designed to be in place until 2020 and a transitional regulation is currently in place for 20212022, largely extending most of the CAP rules that were in place during the 2014-

20 period. CAP strategic plans are due to be implemented from 1 January 2023.

The EU's CAP will spend €387 billion, around a third of the EU's 2021-2027 budget and it is estimated that more than €10 billion in subsidies to Irish farmers will be impacted by the future shape of the CAP. The future CAP is made up of three regulations in the form of strategic plans, horizontal governance, and the organisation of the common market for agricultural products. The main sticking points appeared to be in the region of strategic plans, specifically in relation to convergence.

Convergence concerns are split into two distinct areas of internal and external convergence. While a need for convergence across member states has largely been accepted, some member states, including Ireland, retain an opposition to the levels of internal convergence, designed to flatten CAP payments for those farmers in receipt of payments beyond the national average

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Food production levels grow beyond demand and measures are introduced to tailor production to market needs.

1984 1962

The CAP is conceived as a common policy, with the objectives of providing affordable food for EU citizens and a fair standard of living for farmers.

and redistribute payments to those who sit below the national average.

There are concerns that about the portion of direct payments to farmers that are set to be ring-fenced for eco-schemes. The new deal appears to set out a 25 per cent principle of direct payments having to be diverted to eco-schemes, reducing basic payments by an equivalent amount.

The move will cause significant fluctuation in farm incomes, especially in Ireland, where direct payments often make up 100 per cent of income in some sectors. Representative groups have claimed that the deal could affect the viability of thousands of farmers in Ireland if flexibilities are not secured.

The European Commission has highlighted its understanding that 80 per cent of CAP payments going to only 20

A new CAP reform cuts the link between subsidies and production. Farmers now receive an income support.

2003 1992

In a shift from market to producer support, price support is scaled down and replaced with direct payments to farmers.

Transition regulation extends most of the 2014-20 CAP rules.

2021-22 2023

2013

CAP reform is aimed at strengthening competitiveness, promoting sustainable farming and innovation, to support jobs and growth in rural areas and to move financial assistance towards the productive use of land.

per cent of beneficiaries is unsustainable and that the current CAP scheme is beneficial to major landowners and agriindustry firms, to the disadvantage of smaller family farms.

To date, Ireland has not followed the likes of Germany, the Netherlands and Austria in applying complete internal convergence and has instead opted for partial distribution, ensuring each farmer’s per-hectare payment is up to at least 60 per cent of the national average.

The draft agreement obliges each EU country to redistribute a minimum 10 per cent of payments to smaller farmers.

In May, Minister McConalogue told a summit of EU agriculture ministers that he believed the targeting of supports were “over-prescriptive” and called for flexibility in line with national

Once the new legal framework has been agreed, CAP strategic plans are due to be implemented in all EU countries from 1 January 2023.

circumstances. Ireland, along with a host of other member states, retains the view that a 75 per cent convergence target should be sought, rather than a 100 per cent approach being sought by the EU and have advocated that only 20 per cent of Pillar 1 funding be ring-fenced for echo-schemes.

McConalogue’s view is not shared across Ireland. MEP Luke Ming Flanagan has claimed that opposition to full convergence is being driven by higherthan-average payments. Flanagan claims that over 72,000 farmers in Ireland would gain from full convergence, compared to 49,000 who would be forced to adapt.

Once the deal is ratified, each country must submit a strategy plan for spending its share of the CAP to the European Commission.

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The island economy Research commissioned to inform a forthcoming shared island report by the Department of the Taoiseach has highlighted a range of opportunities in growing the island economy for both jurisdictions.

An existing island economy must be sustained through enhanced cross-border economic connections and co-operation for the benefit of both jurisdictions, the report by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) concluded.

The Island Economy report details the evolution of the two economies on the island of Ireland, highlighting the similarities, differences and connections between them.

The research is part of NESC’s ongoing programme of research on the shared island initiative, being undertaken at the request of the Department of the Taoiseach, with the aim of producing a comprehensive report on the shared island in 2021.

The report finds that despite many differences in the two economies on the island of Ireland, there is clear evidence of

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an existing island economy and scope for expansion, which would bring benefits to both jurisdictions.

Strong economic growth in the Republic of Ireland underpins the variations in economic performance north and south of the island. In the early 1990s national income per head in Ireland was around 90 per cent of Northern Ireland’s GDP per head, but economic growth since then has led to it to now being substantially higher.

The Republic of Ireland’s economy has undergone two periods of rapid growth from the late 80s, highlighted by a rise in GNI per head from 62 per cent of the EU average in 1987 to 111 per cent in 2007.

The financial crash of 2008 saw a sharp decline in GNI per head but by 2019 this had risen again to 109 per cent of the EU average.

By comparison, Northern Ireland’s

economy has not experienced the same levels of growth, with GDP per head in 2018 around 82 per cent of the EU average. Despite both jurisdictions having similar shares of their population in employment, measures of income or output per head are considerably higher in the Republic of Ireland compared to Northern Ireland.

A greater stability in the Northern Ireland economy is highlighted by the impact of the financial crash on both economies.

The Republic of Ireland’s annual average rate of unemployment (15 per cent) was double that of the highest rate in Northern Ireland (7.5 per cent). Pre-pandemic, Northern Ireland’s unemployment rate of 2.7 per cent in 2019 was favourable compared to a 5 per cent rate in the Republic.

However, NESC’s research points to a notable higher level of productivity in the

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GDP and GDP per Person for Ireland, Northern Ireland and UK, 1998 to 2018 6

GDP

GDP per head

4 2 0 -2 -4

19982006

20062012

20122018

19982018

19982006

20062012

20122018

19982018

-6 For Ireland modified GNI* is used

Republic, explaining the higher aggregate income per head. “Higher productivity in Ireland arises primarily from higher productivity in individual sectors rather than differences in the structure of employment,” the research authors explain.

That higher productivity is reflected in higher wages in the Republic of Ireland.

The research estimates that, with the higher cost of living in the Republic of Ireland factored in, annual gross earnings in the Republic are 20 per cent higher than in Northern Ireland.

A further difference in the two economies lies in relation to trade and specifically, their export bases. The research highlights that “Ireland has developed high-value sectors in goods and services that export on a very large scale to European and global markets”, a factor which has allowed the Republic’s economy to achieve strong growth in income and living standards. In comparison, Northern Ireland economy “is less export-oriented and has a higher share of goods rather than services in total exports” compared to the Republic. Northern Ireland’s external sales are substantially concentrated in Britain (€11.9 billion) and the Republic (€4.7 billion).

Links Trade between the two economies is increasing as a result of Brexit. In 2018, Intertrade Ireland valued trade between the two economies at €7.4 billion. CSO

Ireland

NI

UK

figures for the first quarter of 2021 show a 44 per cent increase in exports from Northern Ireland to the Republic. The NESC reports evaluates that trade “represents the most substantial economic connection” on the island and adds that cross-border trade is of particular significance for smaller companies and as a steppingstone to larger markets.

Other economic links exampled include levels of cross-border travel to work and study, “successful and sustained crossborder cooperation” in the energy sector and agricultural output for the agri-food sector.

“The agri-food sector plays an important role on the island of Ireland. In both jurisdictions, dairy, and cattle account for the highest share of agricultural output.

Agriculture north and south faces common environmental challenges and the same economic problem of volatile farm incomes. Given the similarities, common challenges and linkages in the agri-food sector, there would seem to be considerable scope for enhanced cooperation in the years ahead,” the report states.

As well as those evident existing links, the NESC research includes research by Intertrade Ireland which identifies three economically significant sectors of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and software as having considerable potential benefits from enhanced coordination in relation to research, innovation, education, and training.

Source: NESC

“Other research on the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor identified many possibilities for beneficial cooperation, including the areas of skills development, research and infrastructure,” it adds.

Climate However, probably the most notable opportunity for further development of the island economy is the common need to address the challenges of greenhouse gas reduction and biodiversity restoration, with the report’s authors assessing that “movement towards a sustainable pattern of economic development is required in both parts of the island”.

“Despite differences in the economies on the island, the expansion of cross-border trade and the increased interconnections of business on the island mean that to some extent an island economy has been developed. This needs to be sustained through enhanced co-operation, to the mutual benefit of both parts of the island.”

Interestingly, the report concludes that while Brexit poses unique challenges for the island, opportunities will be presented for some sectors.

“For Northern Ireland, there is also an overall opportunity in that it is the only region that, in relation to goods, enjoys no trade barriers to either the EU single market or the rest of the UK internal market. This should be used to reinvigorate investments in Northern Ireland,” it concludes.

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A CONTESTED CENTENARY

The failure of partition When Ireland was divided in 1921, few people thought that partition would last 100 years. Not that there is much reason to celebrate, writes Kieran Allen, senior lecturer in sociology at University College Dublin, and author of 32 Counties: The Failure of Partition and the Case for a United Ireland.

Consider only the strangeness of Irish politics. Where else in Western Europe would the first move to depose a political leader arise because she abstained on a vote on conversion therapy?

Where else would a primary school system be 94 per cent owned by the Catholic Church, there being no public education at this level in the South? In neither part of Ireland did a substantial labour or social democratic party emerge. There was simply no left-right divide.

Why? The conventional answer is that there are two cultures or two identities on the island. A Protestant British one versus a Catholic Irish one.

But let’s deconstruct. The South can hardly be labelled a Papist, priest-ridden state when it was the first country in the world to vote for marriage equality by popular suffrage. If it is defined by its Catholic identity, why did it vote by 66 per cent to legalise abortion? And if a Protestant identity in the North is so strong, why do only 43 per cent attend church regularly?

Religious identity was supposed to be the foundation stone for partition, but it makes little sense today. Instead, there is talk about a fundamental difference between ‘Britishness’ and ‘Irishness’.

Yet these concepts are extremely vague. The ‘Britishness’ of a member of the Orange Order differs fundamentally from a multi-cultural Londoner. As one not unsympathetic writer on unionism put it, the allegiance of the former is ‘to a form of national imperial Britishness whose origins remain associated with a bygone empire nostalgia’.

We should, therefore, be more precise. The dominant strain of unionism is not just based on a ‘cultural’ disposition rooted in deep psychic identity. We are really talking about right wing political views.

Far from partition being the ‘logical outcome’ of two cultures, it locked the population of Ireland into spurious identities that sustained conservative regimes. The northern and southern states were mirror images of each other. The supposed threats that one posed to the other were used to discipline their respective populations.

The origins of partition can be traced to an alliance that the Tory party forged with a Unionist movement to undermine British democracy. In 1911, the Liberal Party introduced a Parliament Act which removed the veto of the House of Lords. This infuriated the Tory backwoods and they focused on opposing Home Rule as a war cry to unite their divided party. Home Rule, it should be added, was an extremely mild measure for devolution within the empire.

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Their principal ally was Edward Carson, a spokesperson for aristocracy and a conservative politician. Known as ‘Coercion Carson’ for prosecuting tenants, he was a vigorous opponent of trade unionism, denouncing the 1906 Trade Union Disputes Act which allowed workers to strike without incurring massive penalties. Famously he helped jail Oscar Wilde for his homosexuality.

When the Tory leader Bonar Law reviewed the mass ranks of the Ulster Volunteers in Balmoral in 1912, he told them explicitly that “you hold the pass for the Empire”. In words not heard since the English Civil War, he denounced his government as “a revolutionary committee which has seized power by fraud upon despotic power. In our opposition to them, we shall not be guided by considerations which would influence us in ordinary political struggle. We shall use any means to deprive them of the power they usurped”.

Given this disdain for democracy, it is no surprise that a Tory dominated cabinet later rejected the results of an all-island election in 1918 which gave an overwhelming majority for those who wanted a united independent Ireland. This same attitude of contempt will again be shown when Boris Johnson will not allow the Scots to hold a referendum on independence.

32 Counties: The Failure of Partition and the Case for a United Ireland

If partition arose from a right wing, pro-imperial outlook, its effect was to fossilise identities. In most other situations, identities are fluid, hybrid and subject to change. Today, for example the past, division between Catholics and Protestants in Glasgow finds its legacy in a rivalry between Celtic and Rangers, but both can unite in opposition to a poll tax or in wider political outlooks.

The Northern state, however, has organised its politics around a supposed clash and rewards those who are the hardest champion of ‘their side’. While the Belfast Agreement was welcomed because it brought peace, it only updates and modernises the management of this sectarian division.

“Far from partition being the ‘logical outcome’ of two cultures, it locked the population of Ireland into spurious identities that sustained conservative regimes. The North and southern state were mirror images of each other. The supposed threats that one posed to the other were used to discipline their respective populations.”

Ironically, behind the communal disagreements between the DUP and Sinn Féin lays a shared economic agenda, namely running down the public sector and providing generous grants to multinationals to benefit from low wages. The figures show that the median wage for both Catholic and Protestant workers was a mere £10.58 an hour in 2017. The scandalous offer of a 1 per cent pay rise for nurses from the Stormont Executive sums it up.

The winds of change are blowing across Ireland.Yet the ending of partition will not come through a stitching together of two dysfunctional states. Shifting sovereignty from London to Dublin but continuing a ‘consociational regime’ in Stormont is a recipe for continued sectarian conflict.

Joining the North to a southern tax haven, as advocated by the Hubner report that is frequently quoted by Sinn Féin, will mean a lack of basic public services. In Dublin today, for example, applicants for a council house wait an average of 12 years!

Irish unity can only be realised through radical change that involves a challenge to both Irish states. Instead of seeing the southern state as the agent to begin the ending partition, we need radical social movements from below that forces change. The movement for abortion rights which won a Repeal referendum in the South and then turned its attention to the North, is precisely the model.

We need a different, alternative Ireland that can show real benefits to working people. One that guarantees the right to housing, decent wages, a free health care system, free creche facilities. The prospect of such an Ireland is the only one that can answer the cries of insecurity that comes with the ending of partition.

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A CONTESTED CENTENARY

The creation of Northern Ireland: Home rule for unionists Current debates over the future of the union, which focus on the question of Scottish independence, and what format it might take, display a noticeable ignorance of the history of the last occasion upon which the union was sundered, writes historian Marie Coleman.

The transfer of devolved powers to the newly created Northern Ireland 100 years ago, on 3 May 1921, represents one of the greatest ironies of modern Irish history. Ulster unionists, initially implacable opponents of home rule for Ireland, became the first political grouping on the island to be granted this form of self-government within the United Kingdom.

Ireland, Ulster and the United Kingdom were partitioned under legislation passed at Westminster in December 1920 and officially entitled, unduly optimistically as an ‘Act to Provide for the Better Government of Ireland’. This was the fourth effort by successive British governments to introduce home rule to Ireland. William Gladstone’s first home rule bill was defeated in the House of Commons in 1886 by the first serious manifestation of Irish political unionism, supported by Conservatives and a unionist faction within Gladstone’s own Liberal Party. His second effort passed the first hurdle of the Commons in 1893 to be defeated by what then seemed a permanent and unassailable pro-union majority in the House of Lords.

Former Irish unionist leader Walter Long’s committee recommended a partitionist solution in 1919

It was not until 1912, after the truncation of the Lords’ veto power under the 1910 Parliament Act, enacted in response to the upper house’s attempt to block the socially reforming aspects of David Lloyd George’s 1909 budget, that the question of Irish home rule returned to the political agenda at Westminster. The abolition of the Lords’ permanent veto, and the political arithmetic in the Commons, where HH Asquith’s Liberal government relied on the support of John Redmond’s Irish Parliamentary (i.e. home rule) Party, made the introduction of home rule in Ireland by 1914 a realistic prospect.

A tripartite campaign of parliamentary, populist and paramilitary opposition by Ulster unionists could not prevent the third home rule bill becoming law on 18 September 1914, but did succeed in extracting a promise in principle of excluding Ulster from its provisions. The nature of such exclusion, in terms of territory and duration, were not specified as the outbreak of the First World had necessitated the postponement of the act’s practical application.

Further attempts to introduce home rule in the summer of 1916, to quell popular unrest in nationalist Ireland after the Easter Rising, and a suggestion of sweetening the pill of abortive conscription in 1918 with a simultaneous introduction of home rule, failed, largely due to Irish nationalist distrust of the chief protagonist in both cases, David Lloyd George. When the war ended in 1918 the British Government returned to the prospect of legislating for Irish home rule. Too much had changed in Ireland during the preceding four years to simply resort to a delayed enactment of the 1914 legislation and a committee was formed under the chairmanship of the former Irish unionist leader, Walter Long, to advise the Government on how to proceed.

The report of the Long committee, presented to the Government in November 1919, recommended scrapping the 1914

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home rule act and replacing it with a new one. Unlike the three previous home rule bills, this one recommended a partitionist solution to the entrenched ethno-political cleavage in Ireland. Long envisaged two home rule parliaments for Northern and Southern Ireland, the first with jurisdiction over the entire nine counties of the province of Ulster and the second over the remaining 23.

The partitionist solution to the Irish question reflected the extent to which this option had gained ground since 1914. When the idea was first mooted in 1912 by the Liberal back-bench MP for St Austell in Cornwall, TG Agar-Robartes, it was rejected out of hand by both nationalists and unionists. To nationalists, Ireland was a single and indivisible entity, while unionists sought the preservation of the status quo, with Ireland remaining as integral a part of the United Kingdom which was created in 1801, as were Scotland and Wales.

The unionist U-turn on home rule between 1912 and 1920 was a pragmatic acceptance that circumstances had changed and the status quo could not be maintained. The Easter Rising and War of Independence deepened unionist distrust of and the desire to distance themselves from southern nationalism, while the determination of successive British governments to legislate for home rule convinced unionists that they could no longer trust the national government to be the best guarantor of unionist interests. The best solution was to take control of their own destiny.

“Almost 80 years before the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly a region of the UK established its own parliament, government and bureaucracy, which it ruled largely free of Westminster interference for fifty years.”

This situation was summed up effectively by the Unionist MP for Antrim South, Captain Charles Curtis Craig, whose brother, James, would later serve as Northern Ireland’s first Prime Minister. In the Westminster parliamentary debate on the provisions of the Government of Ireland bill, CC Craig admitted that unionists “would much prefer to remain part and parcel of the United Kingdom … but we have many enemies in this country, and we feel that an Ulster without a Parliament of its own would not be in nearly as strong a position as one in which a Parliament had been set up”. Effectively, Ulster unionists had appropriated the logic of Irish nationalism and applied it to their own situation.

The legislation which evolved from the Long committee’s report differed from the original proposal in one significant way; the suggested 23-nine county partition was replaced with the division between 26 and six counties which endures to the present day. The delineation of Northern Ireland in this way was the most beneficial to ensure Ulster unionist political and electoral dominance. In 1911, the census showed that the population of the entire province of Ulster was 43.7 per cent Catholic, uncomfortably large for unionist security. Even within the six counties, Fermanagh and Tyrone each had Catholic majorities of around 55 per cent. A four-county Northern Ireland, while copper-fastening unionist control, with an even safer Protestant

“The unionist U-turn on home rule between 1912 and 1920 was a pragmatic acceptance that circumstances had changed and the status quo could not be maintained.” majority, might be too small to be viable. The perceived treachery of British politicians made unionists wary of the northern rump remaining fully within the legislative union while southern Ireland went its own way.

As such partition was not just the division of the island but also of the province of Ulster. In adopting a utilitarian approach of achieving the greatest good for the greatest number, Ulster unionists effectively cut adrift substantial unionist populations in the ‘border counties’ of Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, in addition to a smaller cohort of southern unionism in the three southern provinces.

Sinn Féin leader Arthur Griffith said of the third home rule bill “if this is liberty the lexicographers have deceived us”.

Furthermore, the 1920 Act represented the partition of the United Kingdom. Later in 1921 when the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in December, coming into full effect in December 1922 and establishing the 26-county Irish Free State as a dominion of the commonwealth, the geographical 4

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boundaries and the name of the United Kingdom were altered after 120 years. What would henceforth be the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland lost 25 per cent of its land mass and 7 per cent of its population.

This wider British dimension to partition is not well understood and there appears to be either a failure or unwillingness to recognise the impact of southern Irish independence on the United Kingdom. Current debates over the future of the union, which focus on the question of Scottish independence, and what format it might take, display a noticeable ignorance of the history of the last occasion upon which the union was sundered.

Another British dimension, that receives similarly less attention, is how the 1920 Government of Ireland Act introduced a significant innovation within the British constitutional sphere; the creation of Northern Ireland was the first initiative in devolved government within UK governmental structures. Almost 80 years before the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly a region of the UK established its own parliament, government and bureaucracy, which it ruled largely free of Westminster interference for 50 years.

Northern Ireland’s experience of devolution exhibited the flaws inherent in many previous plans for Irish home rule.

“It seems unlikely that many of those who oversaw the creation of Northern Ireland in 1921 would have expected it to reach its centenary.”

Commenting in 1912 on the legislative limitations of the third home rule bill, the then Sinn Féin leader, Arthur Griffith, declared that “if this is liberty the lexicographers have deceived us”. In marked contrast to the measure of independence which dominion status conferred on the Irish Free State, a significant range of services were reserved to Westminster, including the crown, foreign affairs and foreign trade, the armed forces, postal services, trademarks, lighthouses and coinage.

The limitations of home rule were most obvious in regard to finance. While Northern Ireland had expenditure powers, it did not have commensurate revenue-raising abilities. In practice, this meant that the government did not know how much income it would have to spend. Frequently, throughout the 1920s Sir James Craig’s government relied on subventions from the London Exchequer. The situation was exacerbated by a post-war economic downturn, hastened by decreasing market for Northern Ireland’s heavy industrial product, and consequently the highest unemployment rates in the UK during much of the inter-war period.

In practice, while Northern Ireland legislated separately from Great Britain, many measures were simply adopted as Northern Ireland-specific versions of the original British legislation. This was most notable in regard to the post-Second World War social reforms in areas such as health and education, which allowed Northern Ireland to keep pace with the rest of the United Kingdom and benefit from the most significant social reforms introduced there in the twentieth century. While the socialistic ideology underpinning many welfare state provisions sat uncomfortably with the conservatism of unionism, strengthening the connection with Britain and further distancing Northern Ireland from the Republic were benefits which far out-weighed such concerns.

The largely distant relationship between London and Belfast allowed for sufficient flexibility to respond to local circumstances; for example, conscription was never extended to Northern Ireland during the Second World War due to nationalist and Éire sensitivities. Conversely, the hands-off approach also applied when the unionist government unilaterally altered a key provision of the Government of Ireland Act in 1929 by abolishing proportional representation for parliamentary elections. Arguably the non-intervention of the British government enabled what many nationalists interpreted as the discriminatory excesses of the Stormont government between 1921 and 1972.

It seems unlikely that many of those who oversaw the creation of Northern Ireland in 1921 would have expected it to reach its centenary. The period of greatest threat to its survival was between 1921 and 1925 during which it endured a period of intense communal sectarian violence and the threat from the irridentist Free State that was only quenched when the 1925 boundary commission report finalised the existing 26-six county divide. Commentary during the current centenary has questioned whether the region will survive in its current form to mark another significant chronological milestone. The answer to that question may lie elsewhere as the dynamics of the wider union remain in flux in response to Brexit and the rise of nationalist sentiment within Scotland, England and even Wales. Perhaps the question to ask now is not about the survival of Northern Ireland but of the United Kingdom.

Marie Coleman

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Dr Marie Coleman is a Reader in modern Irish history at Queen’s University Belfast and a member of the historical panel advising the Northern Ireland Office on the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland.

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Credit: Merrion Street

Varadkar: 40,000 homes per year and a united Ireland within decades Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told the Fine Gael Ard Fheis that Ireland must build 40,000 homes per year in his leader’s address, delivered virtually due to Covid restrictions.

Earlier in the weeklong Ard Fheis, Varadkar stated his belief in a united Ireland and the possibility of it happening within his lifetime.

Ireland needs to build 40,000 homes per year and set itself a target of 70 per cent homeownership by the end of the decade through a combination of public and private homeownership, Varadkar told the party ard fheis during his leader’s address.

The Tánaiste also said that the health services should retain the additional staff and billions in extra funding which was provided to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, backing that up with an assertion that Sláintecare and its promise of affordable healthcare for all must be delivered. Key measures in this delivery would include expanding medical card eligibility and reducing expenses for medicines and hospital charges. Varadkar stated that the response to the pandemic showed that “we can achieve the impossible when we work together for a common cause”. He added: “Let's make this the new normal.”

Earlier in the week of speeches delivered virtually at the party’s 80th ard fheis, the

Tánaiste and former Taoiseach had delivered a strongly pro-united Ireland speech, in which he stated that he believes “in the unification of our island and I believe it can happen in my lifetime”. “We should be proud to say that unification is something we aspire to. It should be part of our mission as a party to work towards it. We can do so in many ways,” he said.

Expanding upon his vision of a united Ireland, Varadkar added: “Unification must not be the annexation of Northern Ireland. It means something more, a new state designed together, a new constitution and one that reflects the diversity of a binational or multinational state in which almost a million people are British. Like the New South Africa, a rainbow nation, not just orange and green.”

Varadkar’s remarks had provoked rebuke from both Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis MP and the former First Minister Arlene Foster, although in

his leader’s address, the Tánaiste dismissed the criticism, stating that “there’s never a bad time to talk about the future of Ireland and Ireland’s place in Europe and the world”.

Elsewhere in the five-day ard fheis that was held entirely online, Minister of State Peter Burke TD spoke of how the Land Development Agency will be a “key State actor” coming into the market place and delivering social affordable and costrental homes at scale for all citizens and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD stated that many businesses will find it “hard going” as the economy reopens.

Donohoe stated that “hospitality is an incredible part of society” and added that his priority was to ensure that the tens of thousands of small businesses were able to recommence trading. The Minister reiterated that the Government had committed to ensure that supports, such as the Covid Restriction Support Scheme (CRSS), were kept in place as the economy reopens.

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Summer Legislative Programme Published by Government Chief Whip Jack Chambers TD in late-April 2021, the Summer Legislative Programme contains 43 bills for prioritisation by government ministers.

The Legislative Programme comprises the following:

“The summer Legislative Programme

•

priority legislation;

forthcoming term which will allow our

•

bills that are expected to be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS) during the summer 2021 session;

continue to overcome the challenges

the Electoral (Reform) Bill;

•

the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill;

•

eight justice bills, including the

presented by Covid-19, while also

Criminal Justice (Smuggling of

delivering on the commitments in the

Persons) Bill;

all other legislation;

Programme for Government. There are a

•

legislation currently on the Dáil and Seanad order papers;

number of hugely important bills included

legislation published since the Government entered office; and

have a transformative and positive

legislation enacted since the Government entered office.

Priority bills highlighted by the Chief Whip

•

•

country to grow and prosper as we

•

•

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contains 43 bills to be prioritised in the

•

Assisted Human Reproduction Bill;

in the [Legislative] Programme which will •

the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and

impact,” Chambers said.

Sporting Events) Bill; and •

include:

four health bills, including the

the Statutory Sick Pay Bill.

Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Animal Health and Welfare (Prohibition on Fur Farming) Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads approved 14 April 2021

Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill Status: PLS underway

Education

Foreign affairs

Education (Leaving Certificate Examinations) (Accredited Grades) Bill Status: PLS waived

Maritime Jurisdiction Bill Status: PLS waived

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Birth and Early Life Information Bill Status: Work underway Child and Family Agency (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Environment, Climate and Communications

Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Waste Management (Circular Economy) Bill Status: Heads approved

Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill Status: PLS underway

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Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Justice

Companies (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill Status: Heads approved

Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill Status: PLS completed Competition (Amendment) Bill Status: PLS completed Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill Status: Enacted Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Bill Status: Committee stage completed

Criminal Justice (Garda Síochána Operating Model) Bill Status: Heads approved Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill Status: Heads approved Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill Status: Heads approved

Statutory Sick Pay Bill Status: Heads approved

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill Status: Heads approved

Workplace Relations (Amendment) Bill Status: Work underway

Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads approved

Finance

Health

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit Firms) Bill Status: PLS underway

Assisted Human Reproduction Bill Status: PLS completed

European Stability Mechanism (Amendment) Bill Status: PLS to be determined

Human Tissues (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill Status: PLS waived

Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill) Status: PLS completed

Health (Amendment No 2) Bill Status: Work underway

Taxation and Certain Other Matters (International Mutual Assistance) Bill Status: PLS waived

Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Public Expenditure and Reform

Affordable Housing Bill Status: PLS completed

Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill Status: PLS completed

River Shannon Management Body Bill Status: Heads in preparation

Electoral (Reform) Bill Status: PLS underway Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor Limerick) Bill Status: Work underway

Transport

Maritime Area (Planning) Bill Status: PLS completed

Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill Status: PLS complete

Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill Status: PLS completed

Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill Status: PLS underway

A total of 42 Bills have been enacted since the Government entered office: • Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Act 2020; • Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Act 2020;

Serious Accidents, Accidents and Incidents Involving Certain Railways) Act 2020;

• Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020;

• Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Act 2020;

• Residential Tenancies Act 2020;

• Health (Amendment) Bill 2021;

• National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Act 2020;

• Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Act 2020;

• Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Act 2021;

• Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Act 2020; • Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Act 2020; • Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020; • Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020; • Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act 2020; • Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020; • Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020; • Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Act 2020;

• Health (Amendment) Act 2020;

• Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Act 2021;

• Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Act 2020;

• Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021;

• Credit Union Restructuring Board (Dissolution) Act 2020;

• Residential Tenancies Act 2021;

• Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020;

• Criminal Procedure Act 2021;

• Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020;

• Children (Amendment) Act 2020; • Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Act 2021;

• Health Insurance (Amendment) Act 2020;

• Education (Leaving Certificate 2021) (Accredited Grades) Act 2021;

• Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies Act 2020;

• Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Act 2021;

• Central Mental Hospital (Relocation) Act 2020;

• Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020;

• Appropriation Act 2020;

• Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020;

• Finance Act 2020;

• Railway Safety (Reporting and Investigation of

• Investment Limited Partnership (Amendment) Act 2020;

• Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2021; and • Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2021.

• Social Welfare Act 2020;

*Correct as of June 2021

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Towards a new Ireland The creation of a new Ireland will first require a focus on creating a shared island, says Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond, who has set out his detailed roadmap to how Irish unity might be achieved and what it might look like.

Brexit, the Covid-19 public health response, and ambitions of economic recovery have all served as disrupters to what once was the narrative of unification on the island of Ireland.

Advocates of and opponents to Irish unity have always existed but as the decades ticked by since partition, the middle ground has tended to lean heavily towards conservatism.

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the island of Ireland. One such example of that change is a series of interventions by southern politicians in the unification debate.

In Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement served to focus minds on peace, politics, and progression, pushing the unity question on to the long finger.

In the South, the role reversal of economic fortunes from what once was the affluent north entrenched the mindset of ‘hold what we have’ and limit the risks.

In April, Dublin Rathdown TD Neale Richmond delivered a paper entitled ‘towards a New Ireland’ to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University as part of a wider series of discussions on Ireland’s future. Richmond, a Protestant Fine Gael TD, a grandson of an Orangeman and a regular visitor to Northern Ireland, is a self-confessed long-term believer in a united Ireland but believes that the freedom to talk about a united Ireland has emerged from a generational shift. “My parents’ generation would never have talked about this,” he admits.

However, the rhetoric around Irish unity has changed in recent years, accelerated undoubtedly by the UK’s exit from the EU and the implication that it has had on

Richmond is recognised as having a firm grip on Northern Ireland affairs, not just because of his family ties to north of the border but also through his role as his

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party’s spokesperson on European Affairs, a role dominated by Brexit. He previously chaired the Irish Seanad’s Brexit Committee and has engaged widely on the subject.

Quizzed on why he has chosen now to publish his vision for unity, Richmond admits that the invite to speak at Sidney Sussex College necessitated him to put his thoughts to paper and a 10,000-word paper ensued.

Previously critical of those who pushed for a border poll as Brexit negotiations were ongoing, the TD, who emphasises his long-standing belief in a united Ireland, says he now feels “comfortable” coming into the discussion. “There is no perfect time to do this, but I think it was a better time to engage in this conversation now, than it would have been a year or two ago. There is a certain element pushing a united Ireland, who have

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always been pushing it, but they have never put any flesh on the bones. I think it is important to do that. It is what I am partially seeking to do with this paper and something I am hoping to expand on in the coming months.”

Richmond believes that Brexit “has accelerated the ability to have the conversation” by creating a “schism” between the UK and the EU. Pointing to common membership of the EU for Northern Ireland and the Republic as an enabler of the Good Friday Agreement to settle, economically and socially, if not politically, he is critical of the political system in the South for disengaging from “transformative” political activities in Northern Ireland, which has led to a large increase in the middle ground.

because ultimately, the decision of when to hold a border poll is not our decision but that of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.”

Richmond’s paper is comprehensive and includes his vision of a new Ireland in relation to the education, health, and political systems. However, central to his roadmap is the need to first focus on “creating a shared island by building relationships across communities and by truly maximising the institutions provided for by the Good Friday Agreement”.

Expanding on this, Richmond says: “My vision is that if and when, and I do believe it is when, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland declares that a border poll is necessitated, then a process is kicked in whereby an

Agreement and the second is the utilisation of the Government’s recently formed Shared Island Unit, not as a pathway to a united Ireland, but as a tool “towards the genuine betterment of society”.

Shared Island Outlining why the Taoiseach’s Shared Island Unit shouldn’t be viewed as a method to push out a move towards unity, Richmond says: “If you want a united Ireland, you want both the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and the aims of the Shared Island Unit to be successful. If you don’t want a united Ireland, you should still want them to be successful.

“We should be hopeful and optimistic for

I would never expect a unionist to vote for a united Ireland, but I fundamentally believe that we must create a new Ireland where unionists are welcomed and ensure they do not feel like second class citizens or that they feel compelled to leave.

“I think Brexit has accelerated the ability to have the conversation because life has changed in Northern Ireland,” he says.

Despite his support for it, Richmond does not buy in to the assumption that unification is inevitable. He does, however, believe that a border poll is inevitable but holds reservations about a positive outcome in either jurisdiction, especially if one was held too quickly.

Put to Richmond that there are some who believe that the swell of southern politicians advocating their support for a united Ireland, while at the same time labelling any moved towards a border poll in the short-term as divisive, is a stalling tactic devised to ride two horses when appealing to the electorate, the TD fundamentally disagrees.

“A border poll tomorrow would probably get defeated. However, even if it were to pass, I would be worried about the implications of a poll being rushed and foisted upon people, be they nationalist or unionist. I make the point very clearly in the paper that we need to have a plan

independent Electoral Commission with an external chairperson is established to oversee the process.”

our shared future even if we do not necessarily agree on what constitutional form that future should take.

Richmond envisages the setting out of a date for a poll (suggesting two years from agreement) with two referenda held on the same date in both jurisdictions, with a simple ‘do you agree to a united Ireland?’ question. What a united Ireland would look like would be shaped by both a citizen’s assembly and a dedicated Committee of the British Parliamentary Assembly, before being referred to the Executive Committee of the Northern Irish Assembly, the House of Commons Northern Irish Affairs Committee, and the Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

“We can talk about a border poll and setting a timeframe but unless we are putting energy into breaking down barriers and having that poll, then we’re just talking for the sake of it, and it becomes academic. I am interested in the practicalities of achieving something and achieving it in the right way.”

Asked about potential timeframes, Richmond believes that the upcoming Assembly election in Northern Ireland means that no border poll will be forthcoming in the next year. In that time, he advocates for two things to happen.

The first is the maximising of all of the institutions provided by the Good Friday

Respectful disagreement Richmond acknowledges the “threat” felt by many unionists about such a discussion. Their legitimate aspirations, he says, should be acknowledged but should also not serve to limit contrasting aspirations, allowing what he terms “respectful disagreement”.

“We owe it to society to show that we can disagree without being disagreeable, the same will be true for the varying opinion of how a united Ireland should be achieved and what it should look like,” he adds.

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potential cost given that Northern Ireland currently receives around £10 billion per year subvention from Westminster.

Cost of unity Asked for his view on whether Northern Ireland is affordable, Richmond says: “Of course it is affordable but there is going to be a cost and we can’t dismiss that.”

Richmond offers the example of Ireland’s switch from net recipients to net contributors of EU funding by way of showing how opportunities for European funding can be used to change the dynamics of the economic outlook.

“Ultimately, Northern Ireland’s subvention from Westminster is not something to be proud of but it is also not something that is going to stay rigid, particularly if you pursue an economic programme and an ambitious consolidation for the entire

Ultimately, Northern Ireland’s subvention from Westminster is not something to be proud of but it is also not something that is going to stay rigid, particularly if you pursue an economic programme and an ambitious consolidation for the entire island.

island.

“I don’t think we should assume from the outset that a united Ireland would be as costly as the figures are today because there is a way to work through it. The argument I would make is that, like in business, you have to speculate to accumulate. However, this is exactly the type of issue underlining why you can’t rush a border poll. You need to convince people with collegiate and coherent

Turning to facilitation of unionists in a united Ireland, Richmond is clear that a 50 per cent plus one quota is enough to see a referendum passed, underlining the principle that all votes are equal. He acknowledges suggestions that a new Ireland could be a federal one, but instead suggests an agreement for a devolved administration for the North, parallel to an all-Ireland Dáil, for an initial agreed period of a decade, which he says should “ensure that the transition to the new state is done so, cognisant of the desire to achieve as great a buy in as possible from all communities”.

The TD uses the paper to restate a previously publicly stated and controversial opinion that a united Ireland should apply to join the Commonwealth

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of Nations. He also believes that the provision for citizens in Northern Ireland to avail of either British, Irish, or both citizenships, must be extended into a united Ireland.

evidence, not back of an envelope

“While I never expect any unionist to vote for a united Ireland, I fundamentally believe that a united Ireland must be a place where unionists do not feel compelled to leave. It needs to be respectful, warm and demonstrate genuine equality of opportunity,” he sates.

towards a new Ireland. While Brexit and

The TD is aware that opposition to a united Ireland is not centred in the North alone. A central plank of the argument of those opposed to a united Ireland in the South is, more often than not, the

calculations.”

Concluding, Richmond acknowledges that his paper is not the solution, but the foundations for discussion on a move Covid-19 may have accelerated the discussion, he is adamant that the underlying issues to be addressed remain largely unchanged.

“Whether or not a border poll will arrive in a near or far future, our island is moving closer together and all residents, regardless of political affiliation, will reap the benefits. United or not, we are certainly moving towards a new island that will benefit us all,” he adds.

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TRADE UNION DESK Four-day week can transform Irish work practices Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen radical shifts in our working practices. What is becoming clear is that more flexible ways of working are here to stay, writes Joe O’Connor, Director of Campaigning with Fórsa Trade Union and Chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland campaign.

The pandemic has given people a chance to reflect on what they value most and how they want to manage their working lives.

Employees do not want to return to long commutes and five days a week in the office. They want to have more work/life balance. The pandemic also shown that businesses can adapt to new ways of working. It would have been unthinkable 18 months ago that most business would be conducted remotely and virtually.

A four-day week can play a key role in providing the work/life balance employees want post-Covid and deliver positive results for business.

The Four Day Week Ireland campaign recently launched a pilot programme for employers to trial a four-day week for their business. We are calling on employers to sign-up to the pilot programme and realise the benefits of a shorter working week for your business and your employees. We know from international research that a shorter working week does not mean a loss in productivity – in many cases, it is the opposite.

Under the pilot programme, employers will introduce a four-day week for their employees over a six-month period starting in January 2022. The pilot

includes business supports to help organisations explore flexible working smoothly and successfully.

The business supports include a training programme developed by companies who have already successfully implemented a four-day week; coaching, mentoring and advice from four-day week business leaders; networking and collaboration with other participant companies in Ireland and internationally; and access to world-class academic research and expert analysis.

The pilot is part of an international collaboration with 4 Day Week Global, and will run on a coordinated, parallel basis in several countries including Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

As part of the pilot programme in Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications have announced they will fund a call for research to assess the economic, social, and environmental impacts of a four-day working week in a specifically Irish context.

This research will examine the impact of a shorter working week on private sector companies and public sector employers as they pilot a four-day week over six

months. It will explore the impact of a shorter working week on productivity, wellbeing, job satisfaction, environmental footprint, and household division of labour.

The research findings could play a key role in building government support for the gradual, steady, managed transition to a shorter working week for all private and public sector workers in Ireland.

Major government-backed pilot programmes of the four-day working week are already being developed in Spain and Scotland, and the four-day week has been successfully introduced in a growing number of companies worldwide, including here in Ireland.

Employers who have already introduced a four-day week have found that a shorter working week can benefit their employees physical and mental health, as well as bringing broader benefits to society, including by reducing carbon emissions and supporting gender equality.

The launch of the four-day week pilot programme represents an exciting moment of change for employers and employees, and it’s up to the business community now to show that they are willing to lead and support this change for the better.

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How did your political career begin?

Political Platform Political platform: Violet-Anne Wynne TD First elected to the Dáil in February 2020, Violet-Anne Wynne is Sinn Féin’s TD for the Clare constituency. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Wynne previously worked as a home help provider for young adults with disabilities and is a former member of the Reserve Defence Forces, having accumulated three years of infantry experience. The Offaly native relocated to Clare before joining Sinn Féin in 2012 and unsuccessfully stood in the 2019 local elections.

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My political career began in 2012, after only one year of living in rural Clare with my young family and my partner whom at the time was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. I discovered very quickly how truly difficult life is in the countryside due to lack of access to transport, medical treatment, and everyday opportunities such as shopping and how this can significantly affect your financial situation and your overall wellbeing. My thirdborn child was experiencing great difficulties also and needed medical intervention as he was not getting enough oxygen due to enlarged adenoids. He was later diagnosed with Autism and the difficulties he and my family faced during these times angered me so much that I wanted to take action and I joined Sinn Féin. I was particularly angry that austerity measures affected the most disadvantaged or marginalised. Services were cut where they really should not have been – it was not corporations targeted – it was the elderly, it was children, and it was disabled people.

That put a fire in my belly and made me take action.

What are your most notable achievements to date?

I was appointed as a Sinn Féin representative on the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Disability Matters tasked with Monitoring the implementation of the UNCRPD. I co-signed two bills; the first being a River Agency Management bill and the second was legislation to ban accent-based discrimination and/or discrimination based on socio-economic background or address. I am also the third female ever elected as a TD in Clare and the first Sinn Féin TD in nearly 100 years.

What is unique about representing the Clare constituency?

What is unique about representing Clare is its huge geographical area and the number of constituents living rurally with a distinct lack of access to the basics, including: adequate housing; health and mental health services; public transport; and job opportunities. The lack of

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balanced regional development over the years from successive governments that have failed to invest in these rural towns and villages that are in desperate need of investment, including wastewater treatment services, for example, is what inspired me to get into politics. These services should have been planned for long before now and many constituents suffer lack of supply or substandard supply of running water. Imagine not even having consistent supply to clean water in an extremely developed, affluent nation such as ours. Something is very wrong with that system. What is unique to Clare I suppose is that it boasts some of the island’s most impressive and stunning landscapes and tourist sites, including Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, yet it still is not resourced and funded in the way it should be the provide the basics to its population.

What are your priorities going forward?

My priorities going forward are housing, and equal access to social and affordable housing. It really disturbs me that in this society housing is seen as a luxury item that only the few can afford, while the many are put through the

“This pandemic has been a very polarising time, but Sinn Féin stands and fights for unity instead of separation. That is what Ireland needs right now.”

ringers of inflation and an unstable rental market. The fact that there is a generation of people to which the prospect of owning their own home seems unlikely is enough to tell us that something is very broken in this system.

Equal access for all will mean readily available provision of adaptations required by our constituents that have disabilities. My priority is to bring their voices to the Disability Matters committee, and into representations to the Housing Minister and the local authorities. There is a need for interdepartmental coordination and this needs to be made a reality. I will also be prioritising the ratification of the optional protocol as this is an indictment that Ireland still has not ensure that this has been done to date. Waiting until our first reporting cycle is complete is a huge delaying tactic and a distraction from the work that needs to be planned for.

How can the Sinn Féin maximise its impact in the lifetime of the 33rd Dáil?

What are your interests outside of the political sphere?

We can maximise our impact by ensuring that we lead by example and ensure a coordinated approach throughout our team to be across all the pressing issues that Covid-19 has highlighted and brought to the fore. Likewise, we must sustain the work that we do, such as engaging with the stakeholders involved and acting as a platform for those local representations to be heard. We can continue to work with the people and for the people, and together help to create a more just, strong, and equal society for the people of this island. This pandemic has been a very polarising time, but Sinn Féin stands and fights for unity instead of separation. That is what Ireland needs right now.

sphere are my children and ensuring that

My interests outside of the political they are happy and healthy as we navigate a society where services are cut or curtailed and much needed departments are suffering same. I love my family and am a very family-centred person. Every family deserves a safe, happy life – not one spent battling for services. Having studied psychology, I also have great interest in mental health, and the fact that the Government, and many governments before this one have not seemed to transform mental health services, even though there are people crying out for help is beyond me. The personal is political to me!

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De facto annexation of Palestine The passing of the Annexation of Palestine motion in Dáil Éireann was a landmark moment in European politics writes Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Ireland.

The cross-party support for the Sinn Féin motion made Ireland the first EU country to declare the settlement activities of Israeli occupation in Palestinian territories “de facto annexation”.

The motion condemned the “recent and ongoing forced displacement of Palestinian communities in the occupied Palestinian territory” and described the annexation of Palestinian territory as a violation of international law.

Minister Simon Coveney's statement that “the scale, space and strategic nature of Israel’s actions on settlements, demolitions and evictions is de facto annexation” was broadcast worldwide and started an important conversation about the necessity of the international community stepping up and taking responsibility to ensure accountability for Israeli crimes.

To me, as the Ambassador of the State of Palestine, the passing of the motion reflected the sincere support that the people of Ireland have for the Palestinian cause and our right to freedom. The affinity between our people is a deep and lasting one and has meant that Ireland has led the way in Europe in putting the Palestinian cause on the agenda.

Last summer, Israel announced that it would annex large swarths of the West Bank. The Jordan Valley in Area C of occupied Palestine would be officially considered part of Israel. The political

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and economic impact of annexation of this key strategic area would prevent Palestinians from having our own sovereign, contiguous state and would leave the West Bank split into a series of South African style bantustans.

Israel and live in a home from which

The announcement faced condemnation from the international community. Though Israel subsequently agreed that it would halt its plan, the reality is that on the ground, annexation and the seizure of Palestinian lands continues unabated.

and displacing Palestinians and

Six-hundred-and-fifty-thousand settlers live in more than 250 settlements and outposts build on stolen Palestinian land.

The separation wall was built inside the Occupied State of Palestine, thereby de facto annexing Palestinian lands, agriculture and water resources and restricting freedom of movement. Israel uses the wall and other elements of its ever-expanding settlement enterprise in the Occupied State of Palestine to unilaterally impose its own final status vision on the ground. The wall and illegal settlements create the political, economic, and social impact of entrenching apartheid and is tantamount to de facto annexation as the International Court of Justice advised in 2004.

Israel's colonial project in Palestine, which started in the 19th century and continued during the British mandate, has overseen the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians over the years, creating the largest refugee community in the world. The process continues today in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. Hundreds of Palestinians are currently protesting over Israeli court orders to forcibly hand their homes to settlers. Under Israel's discriminatory laws, any Jewish person can move to

Palestinians were expelled. Under those same laws, no Palestinian has the right to return to their stolen home. This unjust legal framework has enabled Israeli occupation authorities to keep expelling encouraging and enabling settlers to attack Palestinians on their own lands.

These violent extremists have gone as far as burning families to death in their homes.

The passing of the annexation motion confirmed Ireland’s commitment to the upholding of international law, particularly its obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 1949, and sets an example to other states to uphold their obligations and ensure accountability for breaches of those laws by the occupying power.

The collaborative approach of Irish parliamentarians and civil society organisations such as Sadaka, Trócaire, Christian Aid and ICTU must be commended. They were united in their goal of upholding the human rights of Palestinians. The work behind the scenes from committed individuals such as Senator Frances Black and Dr Susan Power has been instrumental in achieving progress on justice for Palestinians and we owe them our thanks.

The State of Palestine, our President, our Minister of Foreign Affairs and expatriates and most of all our people are grateful for Ireland’s principled stance on peace and justice for Palestine. The affinity between our two nations is longstanding and held dear by us, and long may it continue.

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