The Public Sector Magazine August 2018 by The Public Sector Magazine

Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedicated Magazine for the public sector, semi state bodies and civil service

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TURN DOWN THE POWER Public Sector Energy Saving

BUILDING A CHILD FRIENDLY SOCIETY Meet the Ombudsman for Children, Niall Muldoon

SHIP TO SHORE INSIDE DUBLIN PORT

THE IRISH CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

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SOUTHERN REGIONAL ASSEMBLY SPATIAL PLANNING AND ECONOMIC STRATEGY

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Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project Facilitating growth at Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 Port

Public Sector Magazine

“We’ll be our own lifesavers. We’ll get the flu vaccine.”

The flu vaccine is a lifesaver for older people and those with long term health conditions.

www.immunisation.ie 2 the Public Sector Magazine

Public Sector Magazine

Contents Ireland’s dedicated magazine for the Public Sector, Semi State Bodies, Local Government and Civil Servants

Managing Editor Tommy Quinn tommy@devlinmedia.org Sales Paul Halley Martin O’Halloran Linda Hickey Tony Doyle Production Manager Joanne Punch Contributors Conor Haugh Steve Cummins Design Minx Design ruth@minxdesign.ie

The Public Sector Magazine is an informative guide for Government, Civil, Public Sector and Semi State decision-makers. It is distributed to, amongst others, Government Ministers, Ministers of State, Dáil Members, Senators, Secretaries of Departments, Deputy Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Principal Officers, CEO’s of State and Semi-State Bodies, County Managers, County Councillors, Purchasing Officers, Press Officers, IT Managers and Training Officers, Doctors, Financial Institutions, Unions, Representitive Bodies, Embassies, Public and Private Partnerships and Political Commentators.

News News and events from the public sector

Marine Learning MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments

‘Leadership for Life’ Albert Schweitzer 10th Leadership for Life (ASLFL) conference

Towards a Sustainable Future Lagging behind sustainable development targets

Economic Eye Competitive strength needed to cement Brexit opportunities

Turn the Power Down Public sector must lead on energy efficiency

Ombudsman for Children Towards a child-centred society

Construction 2018 Construction and housing review

Child Welfare Tulsa: Transforming the welfare and wellbeing of children

Banking on Support AIB: Supporting the delivery of social housing

Foroige Engaging young people

Looking to the Future New horizons for Circle VHA

Home Instead person-centred, outcomes-driven home care

Homelessness Homeless charities slate Government reports

Value-Based Health Procurement Increasing efficiencies and driving down costs.

Cork Simon A new comprehensive and holistic approach to homelessness

To the Rescue Director of the National Ambulance Service Martin Dunne

Housing Agency Age-friendly housing

Holiday at Home Ireland’s favourite staycations

Welcome Home Cluid launches new homes for 67 families

GPO Witness History Visitor Centre History brought to life

Report Card Irish universities slip down the global league

IPA: Education is Key Part-time programmes for Ireland’s public servants

Towards a Digital Future The 2018 digital strategy action plan for schools

MA in Law DIT launches new postgraduate law degree

113 Top Contractors Turnover at Ireland’s top construction firms soars by €720m

Cork City Libraries Learning lasts a lifetime

115 Surveyors Wanted Demand outstrips supply

Athy Community Library ‘A space to connect, to learn, to explore and to enjoy’

117 Low-Cost Tendering Lowest-cost tendering undermines the construction industry

Sligo Enterprise Centre Supporting start-ups in the North East

119 Cementing the Future Irish Cement - 80 years from 1938 to 2018

Southern Regional Assembly Setting out investment priorities

120 Skyline Scaffolding Ltd Cutting edge scaffolding technology

Maritime Growth Riding the ocean economy wave

Dublin Port Scaling up for growth

122 Geopower Generation An eco-friendly, renewable resource with vast potential

Galway Port Harbour Master calls for urgent investment

100 Oaklee Housing Customer-focused housing and support services 102 Fighting Floods Manning the barricades 105 Safety First Health and safety in the public sector 109 Green is the City 2018 Public Sector Environment Award 111 Preserving our Past Fintan Farrell Conservation Services

125 Land Grab Nesc urges State to build homes on public land 128 Going Under Alarming number of construction company closures

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Public Sector Magazine

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Debt Collection Debt Set-up Financial services Family law Wills and probate At Poveda Vicedo, our aim is to give you clear, courteous and thoughtful advice specific to your case so as to allow you to make a fully informed decision as to the best way forward for your particular circumstances. With many years of experience, we offer you comprehensive advice and information and tailor-made legal solutions together with more personal and direct treatment. We seek to develop longstanding relationships with our clients and we will accompany and guide you throughout all stages of your legal issues in Spain. Your satisfaction is our priority. n n n n n

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Public Sector News

In the News The latest news from Ireland’s public sector

PRICEY CAPITAL Dublin has been ranked as the most expensive city in the Eurozone for employees working abroad. The research from Mercer puts the capital in 32nd place globally when it comes to the cost of living for emigrant workers. Hong Kong and Tokyo top the list. Noel O’Connor from Mercer said: “One of the biggest factors influencing Dublin’s high ranking in 2018 is the cost of rental accommodation.”

STATE SALARIES UNCOMPETITIVE The civil service is struggling to recruit staff in a number of key areas because salaries are not keeping pace with jobs in the private sector, according to public sector union Fórsa. Among the positions which State bodies are struggling to fill are cleaners, solicitors, meteorologists, radio officers, Oireachtas researchers and special education needs organisers. The union argues that civil service management should be given the flexibility to pay staff above the usual entry rates, where necessary, to attract suitably qualified staff. In a submission to the Public Service Pay Commission, it had pointed out that a recent competition for permanent civilian posts in Dublin Garda stations attracted so few applicants that it has to be repeated. It also raised ongoing problems with recruiting meteorologists. “A recent panel for forecasters led to just three posts being filled, while eight candidates refused positions because of low starting salaries,” it said. The union said a competition for special education needs organisers was equally unsuccessful. All but one of 20 qualifying candidates walked away because better deals were available in schools. It said salaries are also no longer competitive across the State’s laboratories, law offices and many specialist agencies.

HIGH CARBON CULPRITS The average home in Ireland emits almost 60% more carbon emissions than those in Europe, according to new report by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Between 2014 and 2016, residential carbon emissions increased by almost 7%, having fallen by almost 25% between 2005 and 2014 At 58% higher than their counterparts in Europe, Irish household emissions are the worst out of the 28 countries in the European Union, with this due in part to the high levels of coal, peat and oil used in Ireland. The report also shows how, in response to Ireland’s growing population, the number of dwellings is increasing, with 1.7 million households in Ireland in 2016, up almost 40% since 2000. In 2016, households accounted for approximately 25% of Ireland’s total energy use, costing €3.4bn, which resulted in 9.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Most energy use in an average Irish home is for space heating, followed by water heating, the report finds. Commenting on the report, Jim Scheer, Head of Energy Modelling at SEAI said; “There is an urgent need to reduce energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions within our residential sector. Our government funded programmes have already delivered energy upgrades to over 375,000 homes.” “However, recent trends suggest that we must do an awful lot more to further improve the energy performance of our entire housing stock,” he said. “A move away from our over-reliance on fossil fuels is essential, alongside a move toward more significant energy efficiency improvements in the home, whether it be a cottage, semi-detached or apartment,” he said.

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Public Sector News

DOUBLE JOBBING TO PAY BILLS

ON THE BEAT Fewer than 50% of gardai are involved in visible public patrolling, according to a gardai audit report. The audit found that just 44% of fully trained gardai were engaged in patrolling and high visibility policing in direct contact with the public. This finding comes despite the fact that the Gardai policing plan itself stresses the importance of ensuring the highest possible number of gardai are assigned patrolling and high visibility policing which keeps them in contact with communities. The Garda Internal Audit Committee which prepared the report acknowledged that the figure was ‘low’ and the Garda press office said it accepted that the pace of redeployment from administrative to operational roles had not happened at the pace anticipated. “Plans are in place to accelerate this process,” it said.

iReach Insights has found that 12% of Irish people hold side jobs with the majority doing so to help pay the bills. Of the 13% of people in Ireland that have side jobs, 86% have 2 jobs, and 14% have more than 2 jobs. 74% of people with more than one job would consider one of these jobs their main job and 11% more females than males would consider all their jobs equal. The Top 5 reasons cited for adults in Ireland to have more than one job are to pay bills (67%), save money (37%), saving for Holidays (20%), paying for a car (19%) or to support my children (14%) 12% of females take a side job to support family members and 12% take a side job to support an expensive hobby. No males take side jobs to do either, but more than twice as many males as females take side jobs to buy medicine (17% compared to 8%). 49% of those aged 35-54 and 25% of 55+ years old are saving money out of precaution, while 0% of 16-34-year-olds are saving money just to be prepared.

LIMERICK GEARS UP A report from EY-DKM Economic Advisory into Limerick’s positioning of itself as a location for more foreign direct investment following Brexit said that the ‘hollowing out of the city centre’ and tackling social issues, particularly unemployment blackspots, had to be a priority for policy makers. The report was commissioned to review the five-year performance after the launch of the region’s economic plan ‘Limerick 2030’. The report, commissioned by Limerick City and County Council, said 12,000 jobs were created between 2013 and 2017, while €2bn worth of projects were submitted for planning permission since 2009. Relative to the other Irish cities, Limerick is already in a strong position with its competitive cost of living and business costs and Chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, Conn Murray said the region has made “quantum leaps” in recent years, outperforming its targets. “We were coming from an extremely low base and a huge amount has gone into getting us to where we are. But we’re not going to be patting ourselves on the back as there’s a long way to go,” he said. The report involved benchmarking Limerick against comparable international cities, including Dundee and Norwich, Aalborg in Denmark, Montpellier in France, and Groningen in Holland.

BOOSTING THE BUS SERVICE The NTA has published its Dublin Area Bus Network Redesign Public Consultation report – which makes wideranging proposals which it says will significantly enhance the service for bus passengers in the capital. In particular, it says the proposals will help to provide for a more integrated public transport system. The NTA’s Aine Graham said that redrawing the bus network in Dublin has been a priority and was a key element of the overall BusConnects programme announced last year. “We believe a system with greater scope for interconnections between routes and where connecting passengers don’t necessarily have to travel to the city centre would be far more convenient,” she said.

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BREXIT ILLS Shelves in pharmacies around the country may look threadbare following Brexit, an industry lobby group has warned. Medicines for Ireland expressed concerns that the end of the practice of drug ‘batch sharing’ with the UK will impact on medical supplies here. “If this cannot continue it leaves patients and our health system exposed to shortages,” said Chair Owen McKeon. He added that “unsustainable” low pricing has already resulted in pharmacies stopping the supply of more than 120 generic medicines here, including pills for asthma, thyroid conditions, angina and schizophrenia.

HOME AID HIKE PLEA Nearly 6,500 old people are waiting on home care and home help, according to Fianna Fail. The latest figures showed 6,458 older people were on the lists at the end of March – compared to 5,418 at the end of 2017. “Increases in supports are required if we want to enable older people to continue living in their homes,” Stephen Donnelly, TD. said.

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€4BN PROJECT IRELAND 2040 FUND Four new funds worth a total of four billion euro have been launched as part of the Project Ireland 2040 investment and will be invested in rural development, urban regeneration, climate action and innovation. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the money will be allocated competitively to the best projects and half of the four billion euro will be put towards urban regeneration in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, alongside 54 other urban centres. Rural areas and towns with a population of less than 10,000 will be allocated one billion euro while the remaining one billion euro will be split evenly between the Climate Actions Fund and the Disruptive Technologies Fund. “We expect our country’s population to grow by more than a million over the next 20 years, with two-thirds of a million more people at work,” said Leo Varadkar at a press conference. “That is a huge level of growth for a country of our size and we must plan for it now. “Project Ireland 2040 seeks to ensure that 75% of this growth will take place outside Dublin and, in particular, we have set the ambitious target that the cities of Limerick, Cork, Galway and Waterford will grow at twice the rate of Dublin.

BOOST SUPPLY OF HOMES, URGES IMF The IMF has called on the Government to make greater efforts to build new homes and reduce the hoarding of land. Gradual increases in the local property tax, as well as the introduction of new income-tax brackets, should also be considered, it said. While the international body expects the Irish economy to continue to grow strongly over the coming years, it also highlights key challenges, from housing to potential economic shocks from abroad, which could harm Irish prosperity, including the US corporate tax cuts and the EU’s proposed taxharmonisation scheme. On housing, the IMF executive board urged the Government to renew its efforts to expand house-building. Its

VISITOR NUMBERS SOAR Nearly 200,000 more visitors have come to Ireland this year, according to new figures. The January to April period has increased by 7%, compared to 2017, with US and Canadian visitors steadily increasing. “North America continues to perform

directors “considered that taxation could be used more actively to reduce land- and property-hoarding, and that measures to improve housing affordability should be well-targeted”. It also said additional money can be raised from the Local Property Tax and it said the Government, after freezing the tax for a number of years, now “might consider a gradual” increase to match higher property prices. It wants to reduce the number of low Vat rates and again called for the Government to look at ending the preferential tax on diesel. It also made detailed recommendations on reforming the income tax regime which suggests an earlier entry point for workers to start paying income tax, by “further streamlining tax credits and allowances” and introducing more income-tax brackets.

extremely well with arrivals up 13.6% - an extra 61,000 US and Canadian visitors,” said Tourism Ireland chief Niall Gibbons. “We’ve also seen excellent results from mainland Europe, which is up over 12% - a market which offers strong returns on investment in terms of holiday visitors and expenditure.

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Public Sector News

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE SLUMPS

PASTURES NEW A new trade deal has been agreed to supply Irish meat to Qatar. Food Minister Michael Creed said the Qatari market would be opening up to Irish meat and meat products, including beef, sheep

meat and poultry. “The opening of this new market is a reflection of the confidence the Qatari authorities have in our rigorous controls and high standards of food safety,” the Minister said.

Consumer confidence has dropped in June, due mainly to more global uncertainty and pressures on household spending. The latest KBC/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index shows it has fallen to its weakest level in 13 months. However, it does not suggest the average Irish consumer has gone through any dramatic worsening in their economic circumstances. Chief Economist Austin Hughes said: “On top of concerns about trade disputes globally and the general prospects for the global economy, consumers have actually noticed that it is costing them a little bit more to live. “We have higher fuel bills over the last while as petrol prices have gone up, and of course there is pressure on housing costs, whether it’s buying a new house or renting.”

PORTS RELY HEAVILY ON UK TRADE

WASTE WARS SIPTU has called for a major review of waste collection and its return to control by the local authority sector following a recent Prime Time programme, which revealed widespread illegal practices within the industry. SIPTU Public Administration and Community Organiser, Adrian Kane, said: “The Prime Time programme on widespread illegal activities within the waste industry should serve as a wake-up call for the country. From the information revealed it is clear that Ireland is failing to meet the challenge to dispose of waste in a coherent and environmentally safe manner. What we have instead is a largely unregulated and environmentally dangerous industry.` “While the programme highlighted

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some very serious and flagrant cases of illegal dumping it failed to examine the structural reasons why illegal practices are so endemic within the industry. These are due to the cut-throat nature of the business and a legacy of 30 years of privatisation which has led to some of the poorest terms and conditions for workers within the economy. Operators driven by the need for economic survival regularly circumvent the law and precariously employed workers do not feel in a position to report illegal practices.” He added: “The long-term way to ensure the goal of a clean environment and to establish decent conditions for workers within the industry is to bring waste collection and disposal back within the control of the state and local authority sector.”

Goods passing through Irish ports increased more than 5% last year, with Britain and the North by far the most valuable trading partner, figures have shown. CSO figures show routes between Dublin and Holyhead, Liverpool and Milford Haven in Britain were the busiest routes for inward movement of goods in 2017, while Dublin-Holyhead and Dublin-Liverpool routes were also the busiest routes in terms of goods forwarded. Irish ports handled more than 53 million tonnes of goods in 2017, an increase of 5.2% when compared with 2016. Goods forwarded from Irish ports amounted to almost 18 million tonnes in 2017, while a total of 35.5 million tonnes of goods were received in 2017, both increasing by 5.2% when compared with the previous year, the CSO said. Calls for additional funding for Irish ports in a post-Brexit EU have gained momentum in recent months. Port of Cork Chief executive Brendan Keating warned earlier this year that the country is at significant risk of isolation following Brexit and will need EU funding to shore up lack of connectivity to major European routes.

Photo: © Sergey Nivens - Fotolia

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Public Sector Magazine

‘Leadership for Life’ The Ireland Chamber of Commerce in the USA (ICCUSA) in New Jersey and their sister charity, The ICCUSA Foundation, Inc. recently hosted their Albert Schweitzer Leadership for Life (ASLFL) 10th Annual International Youth Leadership Conference in Maynooth, Co. Kildare.

The event was held at the magnificent campus of St. Patrick’s College Maynooth. The college was established in 1795 and built as a seminary to train Catholic priests who later went into Africa and other countries and made a tremendous impact over many decades. Today, the building also serves as a prominent University. The youth leadership development program, works to inspire and enable young adults, ages 15 to 18 years, to become confident and effective leaders, as well as, good stewards of their local and global communities. The ICCUSA leadership program is very unique in the sense that all its students hail from a broad variety of different countries, including Ireland, Northern Ireland, India, Israel, Nigeria, Palestine, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Pakistan, China and United States. Education and public service were central to the vision of Albert Schweitzer who once said: “I don’t know what your

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destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” The Opening Address was presented by former Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. Other speakers Maurice A. Knightly, Entrepreneurial Specialist – UCD Innovation Academy, Ronan Farrell, Professor of Engineering – Maynooth University and Mr. Maurice A. Buckley, Founder and Chairman – ICCUSA Foundation, Inc. Each of the speakers shared their experiences and discussed possible opportunities, for future careers for the students. The training of the students is done through their partners, Hugh O’Brien Leadership (HOBY), who has been involved in the youth leadership program in the USA for 60 years. Maurice A. Buckley and Elsa N. Gutierrez Buckley founded the ICCUSA Foundation, Inc. in 2008 and they started the conference in Ireland because of their love for the country.

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They always have considered Ireland home and wanted the students who have attended the conference through the years to experience the same Irish warmth that they received for the past many years. “The conference is a wonderful opportunity for students with different race, ethnicity and religions to work together and learn about each other’s different cultures. To make the world, we live in, a better and peaceful place. They hope that

when they are long gone, their legacy will continue on,” said Mr Buckley. If you are interested in learning more about the Leadership for Life programme or participating in the event, please go to www.aschweitzer.org or contact nancy@iccusa.org or victoria@iccusa.org. Address: ICCUSA Foundation Inc., 219 South Street – Suite, 203, New Providence, NJ, 07974, USA. +1(908)286-1300 ext. 2.

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Economic Eye Competitiveness pressures need to be addressed to cement Brexit opportunity The Republic of Ireland (‘ROI’) is set to enjoy GDP growth of 4.9% in 2018 and 3.8% in 2019, according to The EY Economic Eye Summer Forecast. The report anticipates growth of 236,700 net additional jobs in the period 2017-22 and shows that after 10 years, employment on the island has finally surpassed the peak 2008 level, albeit structured very differently. The EY Brexit Tracker also reveals that 21 financial services organisations have confirmed they will move all or some of their operations from the UK to Dublin. places Dublin as the most popular postBrexit location, ahead of Frankfurt (12), Luxembourg (11) and Paris (8). Neil Gibson, Chief Economist, EY said the impressive growth rate Ireland has experienced since 2015 looks set to continue. However, if we are to sustain growth at current rates, he warns we must retain a focus on competitiveness. “The Spring Economic Statement last week showed us that the Government is walking a fine line between not overspending, and investing in growth-enabling infrastructure. There will be plenty of demands for increased spending and tax cuts; careful prioritisation will present a new challenge for politicians,” he said. “Ireland’s impressive growth may be somewhat overstated by headline GDP figures, but data on job creation levels and tax receipts all point to a fast-growing economy. The forecast is for headline growth rates to fall back from current levels and job creation will also moderate as a tighter labour market begins to impact. However assuming a relatively smooth Brexit, which clearly remains a risk, Ireland is projected to remain one of the fastest-growing developed nations in the world. “This growth is placing considerable pressure on policy makers to avoid a loss of competitiveness by ensuring sufficient housing and infrastructure investment is realised in a timely fashion.”

Competitiveness Economic Eye focuses on three key areas of consideration when it comes to competitiveness – ‘People, Place and Price’ as these are the topics most frequently raised by clients.. However, across all aspects of competitiveness it is talent that stands out as the number one priority. “In a modern, knowledge-driven economy, talent is key to growth. Finding the right blend is becoming harder as the labour market tightens and technology changes business models. Refreshing talent strategies is essential for businesses looking to compete effectively. This is more than simply looking at recruitment practices. The talent journey starts before businesses

even know they need to hire and continues long after staff leave. Embracing this continuum is yielding benefits for the most successful organisations across the island,” said Neil Gibson. According to EY Economic Eye, the level of house price and rent inflation in ROI is adversely impacting on overall competitiveness. “Property prices in Ireland are continuing to rise. Such is the level of property demand, there is little chance of supply catching up quickly, despite the best efforts of policy-makers - and double digit rises for 2018 and 2019 look likely. The current rate of increase is unsustainable and it is already damaging competitiveness, with inner city rental costs a particular concern,” he continued. The third core competitiveness pillar identified in the report is ‘Place’. The National Development Plan makes specific reference to Ireland’s five main cities, as Ireland’s Government attempts to spread economic growth outside of Dublin. “If Ireland is to remain competitive and continue to grow strongly, improved infrastructure is key. Careful prioritisation of the most economically-beneficial projects will be essential and challenging, given the clear need for most of the investments set out in the National Development Plan. The recent announcement of the €4bn Project Ireland 2040 funds is a welcome step in getting from plan to delivery,” Neil Gibson added. Overall economic outlook for Ireland remains strong, Gibson concluded. “The mood in the market is positive at the moment, a significant number of new jobs are projected to be created over the next four years as the country continues on an upward trajectory. The question still remains; what will a post-Brexit Ireland look like? In the face of slow-moving Brexit negotiations, Ireland’s competitiveness of place, people and prices is a priority. At the moment, we are seeing businesses pushing forward and making ‘no regrets’ decisions, or adapting their existing strategy to accommodate a range of possible outcomes.”

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Towards a ChildCentred Society Recognition of children’s rights has advanced significantly in the last decade, according to the Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon. However, there is little room for complacency and greater resources need to be diverted towards addressing mental health issues and high levels of poverty among children, he tells Public Sector Magazine. Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Ireland’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) where the State made a promise to respect, protect and fulfil the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children. This represented an important milestone in a nation where the rights of children had frequently been ignored and where children were routinely subjected to ill treatment in church and state institutions and industrial schools. Corporal punishment was widespread and often severe and children were scarcely

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seen as people in their own right who deserved respect and the equivalent rights which adults take for granted. The maxim that ‘children should be seen and not heard’ was an all too frequent reality for many children in the recent past. Ratification of the UNCRC marked a turning point in the advancement of children’s rights. The establishment of the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) which followed in 2004 was a critical juncture in terms of providing oversight and ensuring Ireland adheres to our commitments under the UNCRC.

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The OCO is an independent human rights institution which promotes and monitors the rights of children in Ireland and investigates complaints made by, or on behalf of, children about the administrative actions of public bodies. It also pursues systemic change that addresses the root causes of complaints. The OCO has frequently highlighted the transformative impact of Ireland’s ratification of the UNCRC and last year it hosted a series of events to mark the 25th anniversary. It also initiated a nationwide discussion on the topic of ‘Children’s Rights Now’ – a conversation which involved young people across Irish society from Donegal to Dungarvan. The Children’s Rights Referendum which was passed in November 2012, was signed into law in April, 2015, just two months after Dr Niall Muldoon was appointed Ombudsman for Children by President Michael D. Higgins, succeeding the first Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan. A counselling and clinical psychologist and child protection expert, Dr Muldoon was formerly national clinical director of the CARI children’s charity and has worked in the area of child protection for 20 years. He regards the children’s referendum in 2012 as one of the most significant achievements to date in terms of guaranteeing greater protection of children’s rights in Ireland. “The Constitution is seen as the benchmark of our social and moral values and for the first time we provided for the express recognition of children’s rights at a constitutional level, and clearly established the duty of the State to protect and vindicate those rights through its laws,” he said. “It’s a narrow framework in that it relates principally to legal situations but it is transformative in that the Courts now have to listen to and pay due attention to the voice of the child in all matters affecting children. “The realisation of rights for children and young people in society is a journey and often requires a change in societal attitudes which are deeply embedded. But we all have a responsibility to ensure children know their rights and how to exercise them and to make sure that those rights are protected.” In 2011, the OCO published a report in relation to St Patrick’s Institution, which was a closed, medium security prison for young people aged 16-21 years. At the time, St Patrick’s Institution was still operating despite best practice stating that children under the age of 18 should be detained in a separate detention centre solely for children. 22 young people under 18 years decided to take part in the OCO’s consultation and to talk about their experiences of detention in the prison. The report made numerous recommendations but the main one was that no child under the age of 18 should be detained in St Patrick’s Institution in line with international best practice. Last year finally saw the closure of St. Patrick’s Institution with all 17 year olds now being committed by the Courts to the Children’s Detention Centre at Oberstown. The children’s detention centre in Wheatfield was also closed. There were further successes last year when for the first time children in Direct Provision were able to complain directly to the OCO about the centres. “Children in direct

“The Constitution is seen as the benchmark of our social and moral values and for the first time we provided for the express recognition of children’s rights at a constitutional level, and clearly established the duty of the State to protect and vindicate those rights through its laws,” provision can now, after 17 years, make complaints in the same way that every other child on the island can,” Muldoon notes. The OCO also made a submission in relation to draft legislation which will require every school to consult with parents and students, and to publish and operate a Parent and Student Charter. This will fulfil a key commitment in the Action Plan for Education to improve information and complaint procedures for parents and students relating to schools. “The Bill will establish a Charter in every school which will define the principles to guide how schools will engage with students and parents,” says Muldoon. “The most important change is that children and young people will be asked for their input. By the time a child reaches eleven or twelve they will have an expectation that their voice will be heard and that will fundamentally change how they view themselves in relation to their expectations and their outlook.” The OCO’s consultations with children and young people have resulted in some of the most impactful initiatives. For example, the OCO published a report on scoliosis last year which included the powerful testimonies of three young people who had experienced significant delays before undergoing scoliosis surgeries. This direct engagement with young people as part of its role to promote children’s rights is among the most rewarding aspects of the OCO’s work, according to Muldoon. “Raising awareness is a crucial part of what we do with children from all areas. We now have dedicated teams responsible for children in Direct Provision going out to the 26 different centres and delivering workshops to teach children about their rights. “In schools, we talk to children about the fact they have the right to privacy, to education, to healthcare, and to be protected from harm. The message starts to become real to them and they start to recognise what other children might not be getting. They start to think what it might be like for a child living in a hotel room. What are they missing out on? It is about making it real.”

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While recognising the many achievements of the last two decades, Muldoon says there is no room for complacency and we need to be mindful that the rights of many children and young people living in Ireland are not being fully protected or realised. “On the positive side, we have outlawed corporal punishment, we have had a children’s referendum, we have a separate Department of Children and Youth Affairs, a full cabinet Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and we have Tusla and a Children’s Ombudsman,” he says. “However, many young people still face a variety of challenges on issues ranging from mental health and disability to poverty, homelessness and lack of access to critical services. A significant number of children have spent their early childhood living through very difficult economic circumstances and 10% of those under 18 are still living in consistent poverty. This is not acceptable in a modern, wealthy society and as the economy recovers we must ensure we prioritise those children who are afflicted by poverty.” The OCO is currently in the final year of a three-year plan and the key focus for 2018 is on children with mental health issues and disabilities as well as homeless children. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was only ratified recently so there is a lot of work to do from now on in this area. Muldoon also points out that only 6% of the health budget is spent on mental health for the entire population, which he says is wholly inadequate.

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“Mental healthcare for children is still well behind where it should be in terms of resources and where they need to be allocated. Mental health issues tend to develop early in children’s lives and we need to do more in terms of early stage prevention. The key is that once a child with a potential problem is identified, there should be an easy route to accessing the service which can help them. What we have to accept is that if a child creates a signal and we ignore that signal, then we have let this child down badly. “I’m promoting the idea that children should have access to a therapist in school similar to that which exists in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. It won’t be the answer to everything but it will make a huge difference.” A key role of the OCO is the investigation of complaints, the largest volume of which involves the education sector which accounts for up to 45% of all complaints made. The child protection and social work area accounts for a further 25% while others generally relate to housing and health. Unsurprisingly, complaints in relation to housing have escalated significantly in recent years and now represent 6% of the total. The OCO recently published a ‘Guide to Child-Centred Complaints Handling’ which sets out core principles of good practice for dealing with complaints made by or on behalf of children. According to Muldoon, OCO developed the Guide to encourage and support organisations that provide services to children, and make decisions that impact on children, to deal

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A significant number of children have spent their early childhood living through very difficult economic circumstances and 10% of those under 18 are still living in consistent poverty. This is not acceptable in a modern, wealthy society and as the economy recovers we must ensure we prioritise those children who are afflicted by poverty.” with complaints in accordance with good practice and in a child-centred manner. This Guide is informed by the OCO’s extensive experience of dealing with complaints and by a literature review, undertaken for the OCO by the Child Law Clinic, School of Law at University College Cork. The review incorporated an analysis of relevant children’s rights standards and of initiatives in other countries to promote good practices in handling complaints affecting children. “The objective is to raise awareness and build capacity among public servants and across organisations to deal with complaints in a child-centred way,” says Muldoon. “We have handled over 16,000 complaints over the years so we have developed a significant expertise in this area. If a child makes a complaint, or one is made on behalf of the child, you have to be aware that it will need to be handled differently while always remaining impartial. From our point of view, if we can see a reduction in complaints that will be a very positive outcome,” he says. “Government departments and public bodies are faced with decisions every day. Often these decisions are a matter of service allocation. But the question that must be asked by all public bodies is: ‘Whose interests are we trying to serve?’ It’s important that the people who are on the receiving end of the service are also at the centre of decisions. Specifically, children need to be at the centre of considerations, where they are impacted by those decisions.

“This will mean, as a public servant, considering the impact that your decision will have on the child, how you involve them in the complaints process, enabling children to express their views so what they say can be taken into account when decisions are arrived at. It also means transparency in communication, and timely decisions – timely in terms of minimising delays while not rushing through the decision. “We envisage key audiences for this Guide would be public bodies and organisations providing services to children and those that work for, or make decisions about, children. And this would be a wide-ranging audience encompassing everyone from hospitals treating children to local authorities making a decision about housing and planning. It would also include those Government departments that fall most frequently under our remit such as those related to Education, Justice, Equality, Health and Environment, as well as departments that we may be less likely to encounter.” “We will be reaching out to these bodies to invite them to a briefing that will explore how we can best support them, be it through a workshop or seminar, briefing documents, or follow-up work tailored to their area. In this way, we hope to be of practical support to public bodies who deal with complaints.” ‘A Guide to Child-Centred Complaints Handling’ is available to download at: www.oco.ie

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Tusla - Child and Family Agency Tusla â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Child and Family Agency was established on 1 January 2014 and is the state agency responsible for improving wellbeing and outcomes for children. Tusla has responsibility for the following range of services: Child welfare and protection services, including family support services; family resource centres and associated national programmes; early years (pre-school) inspection services; educational welfare responsibilities, including school completion programmes and home school liaison; domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services; and services related to the psychological welfare of children.

Floors 2-5, Brunel Building, Heuston South Quarter, Dublin 8. Tel: (01) 771 8500, Fax: (01) 771 8610 Email: info@tusla.ie Website: www.tusla.ie 20

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Child Welfare Tusla Chief Executive, Fred McBride, outlines the achievements of the Child and Family Agency to date and reveals an ambitious agenda aimed at transforming services to enhance the welfare, safety and wellbeing of children and families. As an agency Tusla – Child and Family Agency is tasked with work that affects the most vulnerable children and families in our society. There has been much scrutiny over the past two years around our practice and level of consistency. We welcome constructive scrutiny, oversight and evaluation – it drives continuous improvement. However, we must not lose sight of how far we have come as an agency, and as a country in the area of child protection and welfare. Tusla was established after 29 inquiries and over 500 recommendations to lead major reform of our child protection services. It brought together over 4000 staff based in over 400 locations; dealing with nearly 53,000 referrals each year (one every 10 minutes). Based on this, I think it’s fair to say that Tusla has achieved a lot in a very short period of time, including: n The national roll out of a national computerised information system (NCCIS) across the country which means that for the first time in the history of the state, all 17 areas on one integrated system, eliminating inconsistencies that previously occurred with a mixture of paper-based systems and different computer systems. n The development of inter-agency protocols to assist working with key partners. n The development of a new Child Protection and Welfare Strategy and the introduction of a new national approach to practice – Signs of Safety. n The development and expansion of early intervention work through the Prevention, Partnership and Family Support programme which supports families in their local communities. Our previous three year corporate plan was based on a business case submitted to government aptly titled “Survival to Sustainability”. This business case acknowledged that significant investment and capacity was required to achieve the ambitious programme of reform set out by government and to begin to move the Agency to a sustainable footing. Recently, we launched our new three year Corporate Plan for 2018–2021. It is ambitious and aims to fundamentally change and improve the relationship between the State and children, young people, families and communities. Child protection and welfare services have been at the forefront of public discourse recently, however it’s important to remember that Tusla’s core mission is the wellbeing of children and families, and staff around the country are working with children and families to provide services across a range of areas, including adoption, fostering, residential care, special care, aftercare, early intervention, educational welfare, early years, and domestic, sexual, and gender based violence. As an organisation we believe that children, families and communities should be actively involved in the decisions that affect their lives. We want to work with them to maximise their dignity, autonomy and self-determination whilst providing

Fred McBride, CEO Tusla. services that are timely and appropriate for their specific needs. These needs can vary as different families will require different levels of support. However, when a concern about a child is referred to Tusla and a child is at an immediate risk or in a grave situation, they get an immediate protective response. As Chief Executive, I do not underestimate the scale of the challenge, and I know that we still have some way to go. It is of the utmost importance that our services are fully fit for purpose so we can provide timely, appropriate, proportionate support and interventions in a consistent and effective way. I am confident that we are actively addressing all of the issues that remain through the comprehensive organisational and cultural reform programme that has been ongoing for the past four years, and I have no doubt that with the dedication of staff around the country, and the support and commitment of partner organisations, our politicians and our communities, we will enhance the safety and wellbeing of children and families.

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Empowering Youth Working with over 55,000 young people aged between 10 and 18 each year through volunteer-led Clubs and staff-led Youth Projects, Foróige is Ireland’s leading youth organisation..

Established over 60 years ago in 1952 by a group of vocational school teachers who saw the need for practical education outside of the classroom, the organisation enables young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their development and in the development of society. Foróige was formally known as Macra na Tuaithe, the youth branch of Macra na Feirme. However, in 1981, the organisation changed its name to Foróige to demonstrate its move from a rural based organisation to one that works with young people with a wide variety of needs in both rural and urban settings across Ireland. Operating in 26 counties, the organisation has more than 600 clubs and 150 youth projects, 6,500 volunteers and 400 employees. Sean Campbell, CEO of Foróige says one in ten young

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people in the country is involved with the organisation. “And the exciting thing is we are stronger now than we have ever been and have more understanding of what we are doing and proof that what we are doing works. We have spent a lot of time over the last number of years developing impactful programmes and working with academia to find out what works with young people and how it works,” he says. One of the biggest attractions of Foróige is the skills youths gather and the sense of belonging they gain. “Adolescents really want that sense of belonging, particularly as they move into adult life. That sense of belonging to something apart from their family is extremely important,” he says. “Youth work can provide young people with a set of skills that they can’t easily get in formal education,” explains Mr Campbell.

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““Adolescents really want that sense of belonging, particularly as they move into adult life. We are about helping them to try and find out where they stand in the world, what they stand for, what they want to contribute to society.” “These skills include critical thinking, good communication, planning, goal setting, empathy and resilience. These are skills that every employer say they want in a person. Because they are skills that can be taught, learnt, practised and mastered. Youth work and Foróige in particular has really devoted a lot of time to ensuring people can get these skills and practise them and become proficient in them,” he says. Foróige also helps make the adolescent experience full of good memories and good times. “We are about helping them to try and find out where they stand in the world, what they stand for, what they want to contribute to society,” says Mr Campbell. “There is also a huge element about giving back - we are very much into making sure young people not only get but also give back,” he says. The organisation has a number of programmes including its award-winning Big Brother Big Sister mentoring programme, the Foróige Youth Entrepreneurship programme, the Aldi Foróige Youth Citizenship Programme and Youth Leadership programme.

The Foróige Big Brother Big Sister programme, a youth mentoring initiative that matches an adult volunteer to a young person in need of extra support in their life, was presented with the Public Sector Magazine Award, for excellence in youth and community services. “We brought this international youth mentoring programme to Ireland in 2001. It brings an adult into the life of a young person who has additional needs or needs support and guidance. “It has had spectacular results,” he says. The Youth Leadership Programme is of exceptional standard as it is a university accredited leadership programme, which means young people can graduate from university with a Level 6 Certificate before they ever go near college. “We have about 350 young people graduate from NUI Galway, at least a year before they do their Leaving Certificate,” says Mr Campbell. “These skills are taught to an incredibly high level. The programme is running between five to six years at this stage and there is nothing like it in the world. It gives prospective

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“Youth work can provide young people with a set of skills that they can’t easily get in formal education.” employers verification that the youths have these skills and know how to apply them,” he says, Foróige also works with vulnerable young people who require additional support through a full range of targeted services. These include Garda Youth Diversion Projects, Teen Parent Support Programmes and Neighbourhood Youth Projects which help young people to deal with issues associated with poverty, marginalisation and social exclusion, underachievement at school, early school leaving, youth crime, substance abuse and family difficulties in a safe friendly environment. All Foróige Clubs, Projects, Services and Programmes are designed to achieve these outcomes in a developmental and fun way, by building self-esteem and confidence through challenging experiences; develop the ability to manage personal and social relationships; providing learning opportunities which enable youth to gain knowledge and develop new skills and build young people’s capacity to consider risks and consequences, make informed decisions and take responsibility. As with many voluntary organisations today, one of the

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main challenges they face is funding. “We are still recovering from the Recession as we lost about a third of our core funding,” he says, “Another challenge is making sure we have a good flow of really good volunteers who help us do the work we need done. He says last year over 410,000 voluntary hours were given to Foróige which re-iterates the great reputation and tradition Ireland has for volunteering. “We do worry that volunteers are taken for granted and the professional backup and support to make volunteerism work is also required. Volunteers are an invaluable aspect of our organisation,” he says. “But we are very lucky in Ireland that youth work and volunteerism is at such a high level,” he says. “Just because Foróige is here 65 years doesn’t mean we will always be here. We need Government investment, we need to support our volunteers and youth,” he says. “There is nothing like Foróige anywhere else in the world and it needs to be minded and supported, just like our young people need to be.”

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A Guide to Child-Centred Complaints Handling

Download A Guide to Child-Centred Complaints Handling published by the Ombudsman for Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office on our website at www.oco.ie the Public Sector Magazine

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;For their experience and expertiseâ&#x20AC;? Thelma Mansfield

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Call 1890 930 847

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Person Centred Home Care Home Instead Senior Care calls on leaders in Ireland to address its growing and increasingly complex care needs through person-centred, outcomes-driven home care The Global Coalition on Ageing (GCOA) recently released a groundbreaking report, titled Relationship-Based Home Care: A Sustainable Solution for Europe’s Elder Care Crisis. The report examines the growing and increasingly complex care challenges facing Europe due to rapid ageing across the continent. The report explores how relationship-based home care can enable ongoing delivery of high-quality, person-centred, and outcomesbased care to older adults that improves lives while bending the healthcare cost curves exploding across Europe. The report proposes a set of policy actions to support the integration of this innovative form of care into European health and care systems. “Relationship-based home care offers a sustainable solution for the growing care needs across Europe and represents the highest-quality care in the home that we can offer our seniors,” said Ed Murphy, Director of Home Instead Senior Care. “This highly personalised type of care creates benefits not only for older adults and their families, but also for our health and care systems, governments, and society as a whole. The report highlights ways that policy-makers, business, and third-sector organisations can work together to help Ireland and other European countries spend smarter on long-term care as the needs of an ageing population skyrocket.” Ireland is in the midst of a massive demographic shift. The most recent population projections from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed 2011 levels of 532,000 old people could reach 860,700 by 2026, and increase by a further 470,000 by 2046. As the population ages, more and more people will need help with their daily activities. With more older people living longer – and more living with conditions that impact their ability to live independently, such as heart failure, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia – long-term care costs will be unsustainable. At the same time, Ireland faces a shortfall of qualified carers. According to Carers Ireland, there are already 161,000 family carers in Ireland who look after family members of friends in their own home. “Systems across Europe and around the world must change if we are to address the mounting care crisis and continue caring for our ageing loved ones the way they should be cared for. We can no longer afford to rely primarily on daughters and sons to fill this gap; we need new and better care options and a trained and compassionate workforce to deliver that care,” continued Ed Murphy. The findings in the report – drawn from publicly available data and interviews with health and care experts across Ireland and Europe – shed light on how the integration of relationship-based home care in health and care systems can bring value across society through wide-ranging benefits such as reduced care costs, better care coordination, better care for people living with dementia, better outcomes to seniors, reduced burden on families, and increased employment opportunities, among many others.

The report calls on leaders to expand the capacity to provide high-quality care to seniors by addressing barriers to relationship-based home care in their countries. The report urges policy-makers to: Build a body of evidence that quantifies the value of relationship-based home care, and make it a standard offering within the care ecosystem. n Support outcomes-based research on the merits of relationshipbased home care compared to task-based home care n Establish person-centred, outcomes-driven standards for care n Integrate relationship-based care as a central part of the care ecosystem Make a highly skilled caregiving workforce the heart of the solution. n Promote caregiving as a promising, fulfilling career opportunity n Provide professional training for carers n Adopt standards that raise the bar for caregiving across the industry n Invest in the current and future caregiving workforce to ensure the supply of carers keeps pace with the demand Invest in high-quality care as a solution for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. n Recognise the value of Alzheimer’s care in the home n Promote continuity of care for those living with Alzheimer’s n Increase investments in high-quality, person-centred care for those with Alzheimer’s commensurate with investments in biomedical research “As care in the home becomes more common and more desired for older people, the care system in Ireland must adapt to deliver care that promotes prevention and wellness, maintains functional ability, and mitigates costs,” said Ed Murphy. “Our health and social care systems must integrate relationship-based home care as a core component of the care ecosystem because care based on a checklist of tasks alone will not be able to deliver that quality. We look forward to working with leaders to enhance care models and improve the lives of older people and their families, health systems, and society.” For a copy of the report visit HomeInstead.ie or call 1890 930 847

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Value-based Health Procurement

In recent years the HSE Procurement Division, headed up by John Swords has focussed on a range of reform measures including the centralisation of procurement activities, streamlining processes, increasing productivity and efficiencies and driving down costs. John Swords was appointed Head of Procurement in the Health Service Executive (HSE) in 2010. His 30-year career in HSE has seen him work both in its Finance and Procurement departments. He is now responsible for the strategic operational development and management of all Procurement related activity in the HSE. During his tenure he has implemented significant reforms and cost saving initiatives within his Department while striving to ensure that the ultimate priority of improving patient care is never compromised. He was instrumental in the implementation of a Single National Procurement Model for HSE which has been a key enabler in achieving cost reductions,

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increased efficiencies and the adoption of streamlined standardised procurement process to avoid duplication of effort. Currently in line with Government Decision, HSE Procurement are actively engaged in developing a plan for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;One Voiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for Health Procurement. This project involves a three-year HSE Procurement Plan based around improving its sourcing, logistics and systems while showing the benefits they will bring to front line services. Any assessment of procurement within the HSE has to take account of the sheer scale of the organisation. The body charged with running all the public health services in Ireland employs more than 100,000 people and strives to manage services in

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a manner which put patients and clients at the centre of the organisation. The HSE Procurement division which Swords heads up is a team of 580 people responsible for the strategic sourcing, purchasing, storage and distribution of HSE goods and service. The value of services, supplies and works that will be procured in Ireland over the next five years will be at least €85 billion. With the HSE accounting for more than 40% of the entire market, the organisation has a considerable impact on the entire public procurement process in Ireland and the almost 20,000 companies which tender every year. The procurement system is vital to the delivery of quality health care, according to Swords and the key challenge facing the procurement division lies in maintaining and improving the quality and efficiency of the service despite growing demands due to an aging population. “The money being invested into health sector procurement is shrinking while the demand for services is growing, so we have to create efficiencies that will reduce costs and make services sustainable,” he said. Once efficient procurement models are found, Mr Swords says they must be translated into benefits for the patient, monitored and communicated, so that stakeholders understand their value and support their implementation. “If we manage to positively impact the patient experience, then we can use this experience to convince senior management to invest time and effort into procurement change.” While the economic recovery is now well underway, much of the pressure to drive down costs in recent years has emanated from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which has been under orders from the EU to significantly reduce health spending. “I think we have made significant progress in terms of improving efficiencies and in achieving better value for money in the delivery of patient care. It is not always recognised or acknowledged and the HSE can be an easy target for critics. But we have made great strides and initiated significant reforms which will stand us well into the future. “We have a great team of energetic, committed and talented people here who have been key to driving savings and implementing a centralised approach while focussing on the greater aggregation of purchasing. “Ultimately it is about ensuring that everyone has easy access to high quality procurement services that they have confidence in and that procurement staff are proud to provide. The challenge for us is to ensure that procurement contributes to the delivery of a better service and improved outcomes. That is what we will be judged on and we are very happy to stand over our performance in that regard.” While patient care is the ultimate priority, Swords also points

to their responsibility to assist and support SME’s and other companies with which they engage. “It is important to recognise the role of innovation, and particularly indigenous SMEs, in promoting sustainable growth and improving efficiency and quality in the delivery of healthcare services,” he says. “We value our relationships with clients and we are committed to fair competition, prompt payment and social responsibility. We expect suppliers to maintain security of supply, consistent and favourable pricing, sales and marketing activity, comply with all legal requirements, providing management information and act ethically.” Efforts undertaken to maximise price harmonisation across the HSE have also yielded benefits in terms of optimising the efficiencies which can be achieved through a single procurement organisation and helping to create a level playing field and achieve the same price for the same product from suppliers in all areas. Early in his tenure, Swords focussed on remodelling the HSE Procurement’s Logistics and Inventory Management (L&IM) function, which is responsible for purchasing, storage and distribution of HSE goods and services. It now features an increased level of stock management at point of use (POU) and the previously fragmented stores infrastructure has been consolidated. A sophisticated, modern supply system has also been put in place. The organisation received the Best Use of Technology Award at the National procurement Awards 2013 for introducing voice directed technology to generate significant productivity and accuracy gains at the National Distribution Centre in Tullamore - which in turn distributes to nine hubs. This has, eliminated paper and improved pick accuracy and efficiency. Typically voice solutions prevent at least 80 per cent of picking errors by picking the wrong product or the wrong quantity. Looking to the future, Mr Swords predicts that healthcare will continue to focus on collaborative solutions and public and private sector stakeholders will work more closely together. “I think the future of healthcare will involve central solutions, but delivering them at a more local or regional level. At the present time, some of the procurement decisions that need to be made can’t be, because we haven’t the harmony between public sector and third sector health organisations. “The biggest challenge that we face in the health sector is that we are mandated to be a single entity, but we are not there yet; so we have to change the way we work. Health has certainly been changing over the last 20 years and will continue to change: “What we have to do is to try and build procurement in a sustainable way that outweighs the change process that’s going on all the time and continues to bring value to the organisation.”

“The money being invested into

health sector

procurement is

shrinking while the demand

for services is

growing, so we have to create

efficiencies that

will reduce costs and make services sustainable,”

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Working Together Working National Ambulance Ambulance Service Service National

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) responds to over 300,000 ambulance calls each year, employs over 1,800 staff across 100 locations and has a fleet of circa 500 vehicles. In conjunction with its partners, the NAS transports approximately 40,000 patients via an Intermediate Care Service, co-ordinates and dispatches more than 800 aero medical / air ambulance calls and completes 600 paediatric and neonatal transfers. NAS also supports community first responder schemes in conjunction with CFR Ireland. The mission of the NAS is to serve the needs of patients and the public as part of an integrated health system, through the provision of high quality, safe and patient-centred services. This care begins immediately at the time that an emergency call is received and continues through to the safe treatment, transportation and handover of the patient to the clinical team at the receiving hospital or ED. According to NAS Director, Martin Dunne, the service will move towards a more multi-dimensional urgent and emergency care provision model which is safe and of the highest quality. This is in accordance with international trends, the desire to implement the recommendations of the various reviews into the service and the ultimate aim of improving patient outcomes whilst ensuring appropriate and targeted care delivery. Delivering high levels of care is the priority at the National Ambulance Service College where all NAS emergency medical technicians, paramedics and advanced paramedics receive training and on-going revalidation. The college has the latest training aids and simulators which ensures comprehensive training in a consistent manner for all staff. It also trains call taking and dispatch staff for the NEOC. Training is further provided for the Irish coastguard, the defence forces, An Garda SĂochĂĄna, health care professionals and members of voluntary organisations.Â The range of courses includes patient care programmes, leadership courses, tutor development, major incident planning and preparation and driving. The college provides vocational and professional education and training to ambulance and associated personnel based on current best practice, to meet the strategic and operational needs of the National Ambulance Service and the Health Communities and Patients it serves.

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Building a Better Health Service Building a Better Health Service 30

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twitter.com/AmbulanceNAS HSE National Ambulance Service Rivers Building, Tallaght, Dublin 24 D24XNP2 HSE National Ambulance Service T: 01 4631624/6 E: director.nas@hse.ie Rivers Building, Tallaght, Dublin 24 D24XNP2 T:W: 01 www.nationalambulanceservice.ie 4631624/6 E: director.nas@hse.ie

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To the Rescue Established following the creation of the HSE in 2005, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) plays a critical role in stabilising critically ill patients and transporting them to the appropriate healthcare facility. As Director of the National Ambulance vehicles. The vehicles travel in excess of 20 Service (NAS) in Ireland, Martin million kilometres per annum (total kms Dunne holds strategic and operational for the fleet in one year). accountability and responsibility for Delivering high levels of care is the ensuring the efficient and effective priority at the National Ambulance delivery of Pre-hospital and Intermediate Service, according to Martin Dunne, who care services to the Irish population. In says that in recent years the service has addition, he is charged with ensuring the moved towards a more multi-dimensional service is delivered within the framework urgent and emergency care provision of national policy on health services and model which is safe and of the highest within agreed targets and resources laid quality. This is in accordance with out in the National Service plans. international trends and also in response A frontline services veteran, to the recommendations of the various Martin has served within the National reviews into the service which have taken Ambulance Service and its predecessor place with the ultimate aim of improving the Health Board Ambulance Services patient outcomes whilst ensuring since 1987. During the course of these appropriate and targeted care delivery. years Martin has operated in every Last year the HSE National aspect of patient care delivery within Ambulance Service invested â&#x201A;Ź14.5M to the scope of Ambulance Services and bring 91 new vehicles into its services 55 remains to this day a registered and Emergency Ambulances, 7 Intermediate responding Paramedic. Care Vehicles, 25 Rapid Response Vehicles Martin initially, after completing his (cars/jeeps), 2 Critical Care Ambulances NAS Director, Martin Dunne leaving certificate, was on a mechanical (containing enhanced medical equipment fitter career pathway having studied in for critically ill patients) and 2 Driver Bolton Street College of Technology and Training Units. gained City and Guilds qualifications The NAS is committed to reducing, alongside Irish mechanical qualifications. in so far as it practicable, its carbon He worked in this area for 6 years before footprint by improving the effectiveness joining the former North Eastern Health and efficiency of its fleet and its major Board Ambulance Service in 1987. equipment components. As such the According to Martin, this career NAS has introduced significant change change has been more than fulfilling and to its vehicle build specification over his enthusiasm and drive has remained as recent years to ensure it could meet the strong now as it did at the beginning. challenges of a changing environment. Martin has pursued his personal Green technology is now an development through obtaining a range embedded feature on all new vehicles of qualifications both in the pre hospital and National Ambulance Service vehicles and management environment. He holds have smart systems installed to manager a Diploma in pre-hospital emergency power usage, ECO technology installed care and many other qualifications in to manage the amount of time that the pre-hospital care delivery. He also holds vehicle idles, voice technology messaging both diploma personnel and systems to enhance safety and efficiency of management and has a Masters in vehicles as well as the use of solar light Leadership from the Royal College of panelling on all new vehicles. Surgeons. The progress achieved by the NAS in Married to Carina and a father to this area was recognised last year when three daughter, Martin oversees a service which responds to The National Ambulance Service won an SEAI sustainable over 300,000 ambulance calls each year, employs over 1,600 energy award for the energy efficiency of the new vehicles, staff across 100 locations and has a fleet of approximately 500 which include solar panels and other energy saving features.

Martin has

operated in every aspect of patient care delivery

within the scope of Ambulance Services and

remains to this

day a registered and responding Paramedic.

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At the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way

Gateway to the Cliffs of Moher & Burren Geopark DisCover the lanDsCape, the fooD, the people...the wilD outDoors at your finGertips

Dine at The Falls...

Stay at The Falls...

Relax at The Falls...

Falls Hotel & Spa Ennistymon, Co Clare

+353 (0)65 707 1004 reservations@fallshotel.ie www.fallshotel.ie

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STAYCATIONS Breath-taking, stunning, wild, dramatic ... you will not see anything like it anywhere else on earth

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Some of Ireland’s most striking scenery can be experienced right on these very shores. Out at the very edge of Europe, the Wild Atlantic way stretches for 2,500 km (1,500 miles) along Ireland’s western seaboard. from Malin head in Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, through regions like Connemara, Galway Bay and Kerry, it’s the longest defined coastal drive in the world - a sensational journey of soaring cliffs and buzzing towns and cities, of hidden beaches and epic bays. People flock from all over the

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world to visit our tiny island, so why shouldn’t we do the same? There are endless opportunities for discovery along this route. Every few miles there are places to stretch your legs, quench your thirst or grab a bite to eat. Maybe you’ll hunker down and stay a night or two to get to know the places and the people. You might join in the craíc at an impromptu session, go island-hopping, visit ancient sites, or sit by turf fires in traditional pubs, where your taste-buds might explode with fresh flavours.

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Ireland’s reputation as a delicious destination is alive and kicking. Our culinary pedigree has us patting our backs and our bellies at the same time. Across the entire island you are guaranteed a gastronomic delight and for 2018, Galway has been named one of just two European Regions of Gastronomy. Beautiful Galway has also been named European Capital of Culture for 2020! But don’t worry: there’s plenty going on in the City of Tribes before then. It’s a foodie haven, a bohemian

dream and Ireland’s festival capital. Take your pick of the Film Fleadh, the Oyster Festival, the medieval architecture and the riotous fun of a trad music session at Taaffes pub. Or head down in October for the ‘Food on the Edge’ symposium where you can get a taste of some of the world’s best chefs including Angela Hartnett, Magnus Nilsson of Sweden’s Fäviken, Ashley Palmer-Watts of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Slovenian star Ana Roš, voted Best Female Chef in the World 2017.

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THE REEL INN Traditional Music 7 Nights a Week! World Championship Irish Dancers during the summer months!

The Reel Inn Bridge Street, Donegal +353 87 4119994 thereelinn@eircom.net

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Top Hotels From castles and stately homes to heavenly B&B’s, has a feast of fine lodgings on offer. Killarney stormed into to 8th place in Trivago’s Global Reputation Ranking of the world’s best hotels, with Galway also featuring in the Top 100. Meanwhile, Condé Nast Traveller named Ardmore’s Cliff House Hotel in their 10 Most Beautiful Clifftop Hotels list, and four of Ireland’s resorts

feature in its Top 25 Resorts in Europe. The spectacular Ashford Castle and Adare Manor have both undergone extensive refurbishment while Ballyfin Demesne in County Laois refuses to be knocked off its perch as Ireland and one of the world’s top hotels. If you can’t quite stretch to staying in one of these fine establishments, why not pop along for afternoon tea? Resident or guest you can be assured of great attention, after all, hospitality is in our nature.

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Public Sector Magazine

Do we have a Golf image for here landscape

Tee Time The island of Ireland is made for golf. From internationally renowned courses to welcoming local clubs in every corner of the country we have more than 400 courses including over 30% of the world’s links courses. From green parkland to rugged coastal links and everything in between, there is a course to suit every skill level and every budget. It’s a great way to take a bit of gentle exercise or to get competitive. There are golf courses where you can walk past five thousand-year-old dolmens or the ruins of medieval castles as you walk up the fairway. There are courses where you’ll return to clubhouses that are living breathing stately homes and

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centuries-old fortifications. There are courses where the sublime coastal views will physically distract you from your shot - hidden gems everywhere wrapped in mythology and legend. And there are courses that challenge the best with built in blind shots that require a healthy portion of luck, sheer brilliance or the assistance of a good caddy to get your ball where it needs to be. Golf Digest’s number 1 golf course on the planet is Royal County Down. The experts say: “On a clear spring day, with Dundrum Bay to the east, the Mountains of Mourne to the south and gorse-covered dunes in golden bloom, there is no lovelier place in golf. Champion golfer Rory McIlroy is a fan, too: “The more you play it, the more you recognise it for the class place it is.”

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On a clear spring day, with Dundrum Bay to the east, the Mountains of Mourne to the south and gorse-covered dunes in golden bloom, there is no lovelier place in golf. Champion golfer Rory McIlroy is a fan, too: â&#x20AC;&#x153;

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ACCOMMODATION - VEGETARIAN LUNCH - CAFE SHOP - FREE DAILY MEDITATION - WALKS

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Beara Peninsula, West Cork

Belvedere House, Gardens & Park Contact: Belvedere House Gardens & Park, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Tel: 044-9349060 info@belvedere-house.ie www.belvedere-house.ie www.facebook.com/Belvedere-House-Gardens-Park

Location: 5km south of Mullingar on N52 1hour from Dublin, M4/N4 Exit 15 Sat Nav: Latitude/Longitude 53.4761, - 7.3552

A Fascinating Estate to Visit This magnificent 160 acre Lakeside estate boasts a fully restored Georgian Villa built in 1740 by the famous Architect Richard Castles for Robert Rochfort – later Lord Belvedere. The estate has a fascinating Victorian Walled Garden, with one of Ireland's finest collections of rare and special plants. The naturalistic designed 18th century parkland, punctuated with Romantic Follies includes the largest in Ireland; “The Jealous Wall”. Within the welcoming Visitor Services Centre is a Licensed Restaurant and Gift Shop and there are also 4 outdoor children’s play areas & many picnic areas on the estate. Whether you are part of a gardening group, historical society, school tour, active retirement association, family gathering or group of friends, a visit to Belvedere is a superb day out with a difference.

Opening Times 7days a week all year round from 9.30am Seasonal closing times apply Admission Rates Adult €8. Student/Senior €6. Child €4. Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 children) €23. Each additional child €3. Catoca Fine Food and Giftware Great food, great service, great location. Catering for all your special occasions and corporate events. www.catocafinefood.com Parking Free car parking available on site

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The Big Hitters Killarney National Park and the Cliffs of Moher are regularly featured in Condé Nast Traveler guides – and for very good reason. The Cliffs sweep in jagged majesty down the coast of County Clare, while Kerry’s National Park hides castles and a Tudor mansion beneath towering mountains. Two of Ireland’s big hitters – and must-sees for anyone journeying southwest. North of the country Donegal continues to dominate. Not content with being voted the coolest place in the world to visit by National Geographic Traveller, Donegal has had the landing strip at its regional airport voted the second most scenic in the world. Anybody who has landed here will know why, and if you haven’t yet experienced the slow sweep over the spectacular bay yet, put it on the bucket list. Adam Twidell, CEO of PrivateFly and an experience pilot, said: “I have landed

at Donegal many times and the rugged coastline of Ireland’s north west coast is even more awe-inspiring from the air, with the backdrop of Mount Errigal adding to the timeless appeal.” “Breathtaking, stunning, wild, dramatic ... You will not see anything like it anywhere else on earth ... An Irish welcome awaits every visitor”, were some of the comments made by voters about the landing strip. Flights from Dublin to Donegal take just 55 minutes; a magnificent way to enter the county and access the wilds of our northwestern gem. And travel bible Lonely Planet just can’t get enough of Ireland, falling head over heels for the Skellig Ring, “Ireland’s most charismatically wild and emerald stretch of coastline.” Of the wild and isolate Skellig Islands, it claims, “Nothing beats landing on Skellig Michael and climbing the stone steps to reach the intriguing chambers left by the monks.” It’s a challenging climb but the reward is a view to die for.

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Ireland’s Ancient East For those who love to peel back the layers of time, Ireland’s turbulent, mystical and inspiring 5,000-year history is waiting to be discovered by travellers through its Ancient East. Featuring three unique areas— the Land of 5,000 Dawns, the Historic Heartlands and the Celtic Coast— the Ancient East is a smorgasbord of fascinating destinations that is enough to satisfy the biggest cultural appetite. The northernmost stretch encompasses the iconic Neolithic passage tombs at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Boyne Valley and the legendary Hill of Uisneach, Ireland’s sacred

centre. In May, the Uisneach Festival of Fire celebrates the beginning of summer, harking back to Ireland’s pre-Christian era and reviving this most ancient and primal of traditions. The Historic Heartlands is the setting for more high drama. In County Tipperary, sitting on a towering rock said to have been discarded by the Devil himself, the Rock of Cashel looms large over Ireland’s history. Here medieval buildings rub shoulders with a Gothic cathedral and castle, and tales of saints and kings abound. There are more than a few castles in the Historic Heartlands including the splendid Norman Kilkenny Castle and Birr Castle, home to the Great Telescope built in the 1840s, the largest

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Public Sector Magazine

telescope in the world at the time. The Celtic Coast takes in counties Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford and Cork and reveals more of Ireland’s colourful past in some of the country’s most impressive architecture, as well as dazzling scenery. In Wicklow ramble through the ruins of the sixth-century monastic city of Glendalough with its famous round tower, or stroll around the magnificent Powerscourt House and its award-winning gardens. Europe’s oldest lighthouse at Hook Head in Wexford offers a glimpse of the island’s maritime history, while Waterford City holds treasures and tales of its Viking past. Down in Cork there are many attractions including the famous Blarney Castle with its famous kissing stone, not to be missed by those aspiring to eloquence and the easy charm that comes so easily to the Irish. Ireland’s Ancient East offers a captivating journey through time but the region is also alive with fun and frivolity—from leprechaun hunts to music festivals—ensuring you leave enriched, enlightened and entertained.

HISTORY SO CLOSE IT COMES ALIVE Explore the 1916 Easter Rising & Modern Irish History in a Spectacular Setting General Post Office, O’Connell St. Lower, Dublin 1 www.gpowitnesshistory.ie

D8704 SNN Public Sector Mag Ad A4 June 2018.indd 1

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European Museum Academy Award Winner 2017

20/06/2018 15:33

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Bringing History to Life No visit to Dublin is complete without visiting the GPO Witness History Visitor Centre on O’Connell St, Dublin 1, an immersive, interactive visitor attraction which brings history to life though technology, video, sound and authentic artefacts.

Award winning GPO Witness History is located in the historical GPO (General Post Office) building on O’Connell Street, Dublin. This unmissable experience is a must see on your visit to Dublin. Explore the fascinating story of modern Irish History and the 1916 Easter Rising in this spectacular setting. The history of modern Ireland is brought to life through electronic touch screens, video, audio visual booths, sound and authentic artefacts. The GPO building, originally dating back to 1818 (200 years ago), was the communications hub of Ireland and headquarters of the men and women who took part in the 1916 Easter Rising. The Easter Rising set in motion an unstoppable chain of events which would ultimately lead to the creation of the Irish Republic. The visitor centre also features the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation Exhibition - the first ever permanent exhibition on the Irish Flag to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the first flying of the Irish Tricolour in 1848. Afterwards, relax in the courtyard café and browse the gift shop which are open to the public. This iconic venue is also available for private functions and events. For Further Information visit www.gpowitnesshistory.ie or Email info@ gpowitnesshistory.ie

The history of modern Ireland is brought to life through electronic touch screens, video, audio visual booths, sound and authentic artefacts. the Public Sector Magazine

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Public Sector Magazine

College Cash Crisis There is no Irish university ranked in the world’s top 100, according to the latest QS World University Rankings 2019 which show the country’s higher education sector sliding further down the global league. Trinity College Dublin has dropped from 88th to 104th in the latest QS World University Rankings which leaves Ireland without a university in the world’s top 100. UCD, the country’s largest university fell 25 places to 193rd. Five of the seven universities, as well as Dublin Institute of Technology have fallen down the latest rankings. Both The University of Limerick and Maynooth University have retained their rating from last year. University College Cork dropped from 283rd to 338th while Galway has dropped 17 places to 260th, its first fall in this ranking since 2011. Dublin City University fell from 391ist to 422nd, and Dublin Institute of Technology fell 651stt to 700th. Globally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is named the world’s leading university for a record-breaking seventh consecutive year while Continental Europe’s best university remains ETH Zurich. University of Oxford (5th) has usurped its long-time rival, the University of Cambridge (6th) to be named the UK’s top institution. While other countries have increased their spend on education, irish universities are still hampered by austerity related cuts and controls on staff numbers which have yet to be reversed. The ranking organisers QS said employer reputation scores were down for all eight Irish colleges, and academic reputation fell at seven of them. “This suggests that institutions in other nations are receiving an increasing share of global academic and employer recognition, at the expense of Irish institutions,” the report said. The relative impact of Irish research also appears to be declining as the rank for citations per faculty were lower this year at seven out of eight institutions. But this was in spite of higher average citations than last year, which did not match global average improvements. Concern is now growing that the reputation of Ireland’s universities and the country’s education system is being damaged by the deteriorating international rankings of the country’s universities. Quality of education and a highly trained workforce is the key factor in attracting inward investment and the results will be of concern to policy makers. The president of the country’s biggest university UCD Professor Andrew Deeks said its fall from 86th to 536 in the QS rank of student-teacher ratios was a result of employment restrictions and reduced State funding, which he said can no longer be endured. “At a time when countries like China are investing billions into their best universities to reduce their student-teacher ratio to 10:1 and to raise their world standing, the Irish government perseveres with austerity level funding of Irish higher education,” Prof Deeks said. “As a direct result, Irish parents continue to pay the highest up-front fees for undergraduate education in Europe, and the

standing of the Irish university system continues to decline relative to more ambitious systems,” he said. Despite an increase in public funding for third-level colleges by Education Minister Richard Bruton this year - with €100m more than a year ago now being invested - they continue to receive less than they did when thousands fewer students were attending a decade ago. UCD said that non-Exchequer income now accounts for 65% of its annual income. Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, is alarmed by the continued slide of Irish universities in the QS Rankings and that Ireland can no longer claim a Top 100 university. Commenting on the influential world rankings, Ibec Senior Executive for Education and Innovation Policy, Claire McGee, said: “This outcome is a direct result of dire under investment into the higher education sector over the last decade. The lack of investment does not match or support the national ambitions to be a global education and innovation leader. “Investment in education, particularly higher education, must be regarded as a national infrastructure priority. Ireland’s return to economic growth and success is underpinned by highly talented and educated people. It is imperative that we invest in our universities and institutes. These rankings damage Ireland’s reputation to attract and embed foreign direct investment to create more high quality and technology jobs. In addition, it impacts the universities’ ability to bring leading international researchers and their teams, to undertake cutting edge science and innovations to support Irish business, to Ireland. “Ibec has long called for Government to act on the OCED recommendations from 2002 to introduce a more balanced funding streams including income-contingent student loans. We must expedite the recommendations of the Cassell’s 2015 report and the overall process for higher education funding. We need to stop any further slide in rankings and the time to act is now.”

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INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Part-Time Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes - Now Enrolling for September • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Certificate/Diploma in Public Management Certificate/Diploma in Local Government Studies Certificate/Professional Diploma in Public Procurement Certificate in Housing Studies Diploma in HRM Diploma in Law Diploma in Management Diploma in Healthcare Management Professional Diploma in Health Economics Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality Professional Diploma in Official Statistics for Policy Evaluation Professional Diploma in Managing Change Professional Diploma in Project Management Bachelor of Business Studies (Hons) Bachelor of Arts (Hons) - Public Management Professional Certificate in Governance Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management Master of Arts (Seven Subject Streams) Doctorate in Governance

Delivered through Blended Learning Accredited by the National University of Ireland (NUI)

Visit www.ipa.ie, email information@ipa.ie or call (01) 240 3600 for more information today. 48

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Public Sector Magazine

Education is Key to Success Part-time programmes for Ireland’s public servants at the Institute of Public Administration With summer entering its final weeks, people can be forgiven for being more concerned with any remaining holiday plans than with higher education programmes. It is at this time, however, that we should really contemplate whether this is the year to return to education in September, study subjects of professional and personal interest, and obtain a new qualification. There are always new skills to master and deeper insights to obtain. It is widely accepted that higher education is key to both career success and to effective public management. For adult students, however, a decision to return to education is complicated by their busy personal and professional lives. They require high-quality education programmes that are flexible enough to meet their circumstances. The Whitaker School of Government and Management at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) will provide almost 70 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes this coming autumn. These part-time programmes are specifically designed for adults who want to obtain a nationally recognised qualification while keeping their various professional and personal commitments. Programmes are accredited by the National University of Ireland (NUI) and sit between levels six and ten on the ten-point National Framework of Qualifications.

Flexible Delivery Methods IPA programmes have flexible study methods that allow students study at a time and place of their choosing and from anywhere in the country. These methods are highly valued by adults keen to pursue a new qualification but with many demands on their time. The IPA also recognises prior learning, so students with appropriate qualifications may be able to skip certain stages or subjects in the undergraduate programmes and thereby complete in a shorter time.

Undergraduate Programmes Programmes at undergraduate level include Certificates, Diplomas and Professional Diplomas in a very wide range of areas, including public management, civil service and state agency studies, local government studies, healthcare management, health economics, housing studies, public procurement, project management, law, management, HRM, human rights & equality, managing change, and official statistics.

The IPA’s widely regarded Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Public Management, meanwhile, allows students to specialise in one of six specialised streams. A Bachelor of Business Studies (Hons) (with four specialised streams) is also offered.

Postgraduate Programmes At postgraduate level the IPA offers a suite of Master of Arts programmes in public management, local government management, financial management, criminal justice, HRM, healthcare management, and leadership and strategy. These programmes—delivered through blended learning—combine study of various subjects with the preparation of a dissertation. Students receive comprehensive course material and attend the IPA campus in Dublin for weekend seminars over the course of the academic year (September to March/April). MA programmes take two years to complete and include the interim award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management. Other postgraduate programmes include a Professional Certificate in Governance, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Management, a Master of Economic Science in Policy Analysis, and a Master of Science in Business and Management. The IPA’s highest award—a Doctorate in Governance—facilitates research and debate on the key issues affecting European and Irish policy making and governance and involves residential seminars at which participants compare and exchange experience. IPA programmes are now enrolling. For further information, visit www.ipa. ie. To talk to staff about programmes, call (01) 240 3600.

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Public Sector Magazine

LAW

AT DIT

Dublin Institute of Technology has a long history of delivering high-quality legal education at all levels from undergraduate to postgraduate and courses in Continuing Professional Development.

New this year: Master of Arts in Law Beginning in September 2018, the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) as a King’s Inns accredited Level 9 law degree. • Full-time - 2 days a week over 2 years • Part-time - 1 day a week over 4 years • No prior knowledge of law required - open to graduates of any discipline • Compulsory practically-orientated legal skills module for all students in first year • All Law Society FE1 Exam subjects offered as well as those required by the King’s Inns

Postgraduate Diploma in Law DIT continues to offer the very successful Postgraduate Diploma in Law. This innovative, flexible programme offers a route to legal practice for non-law graduates: • Full-time – one year • Part-time – two years • Small class sizes (not more than 45 participants) • Participants working in Enforcement and Regulation agencies gain high level of expertise • Graduates may apply to Year 2 of Master of Arts in Law All programmes are delivered at our city-centre campus at Aungier Street, Dublin 2. 50

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Further information available on

www.dit.ie or contact law@dit.ie

Public Sector Magazine

Towards a Digital Future The 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan for Schools features over 80 actions aimed at maximizing the potential of digital technology in the classroom The 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan which was published by the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, recently sets out a roadmap for the twelve months ahead, to bring the Irish education system further along the path to being the best in Europe at embedding digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment by 2026. While the 2018 Action Plan includes the list of actions to be achieved this year, the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 sets out the government’s mediumterm plan to realise the potential of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Digital technology has fundamentally transformed the world we live in and young people in Ireland need to become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens to flourish in modern society and the economy. Making this ambition a reality requires targeted and innovative use of technology to enrich teaching, learning and assessment. The 2017 Digital Strategy Action Plan which was published in June 2017 identified some 120 actions/sub-actions for delivery during the course of last year. Of these 113 were delivered representing a 94% completion rate. The remaining 7 sub- actions have been carried forward into the 2018 Digital Strategy Action which aims to build on the progress made last year. It reiterates the goals and objectives set out in the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and contains over 80 actions/ sub-actions to be achieved by the end of 2018. It will be followed by annual action plans in 2019, 2020.

Key elements of the 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan include: n Computer Science will be introduced as a Leaving Certificate subject from September 2018 – (phased introduction). n The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) will work with a network of schools to explore how coding might be best integrated into the primary school curriculum. n The Digital Learning Framework, which allows schools to assess their digital capability, will be assessed and improved. n Clear statements on the use of digital technologies will continue to be included in all of the subject specifications

“Ireland has set itself the ambitious target of having the best education and training service in Europe within a decade,” said Minister Bruton. “To achieve this our system must be a front-runner in embracing digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning.” the Public Sector Magazine

Public Sector Magazine

developed in 2018. n Clusters participating in School Excellence Fund – Digital will begin their projects & future rounds will be considered. n The Department will actively contribute to the whole of Government approach to internet and cyber safe security for our young people. n A circular will issue to schools on the usage of smart Minister for Education, Richard Bruton phone and tablet devices – this will require schools to engage with the school community including students and parents on their usage. n Continue to improve broadband services in schools. n Continuing rollout of the €210M capital investment programme to schools. We live in an online world and schools and universities and colleges have a responsibility to develop students into

individuals who can thrive in an era of digital information and communication, according to Education Minister Richard Bruton. Those who are digitally literate are more likely to be economically secure and these skills are especially important in higher education given that graduate white-collar jobs are almost entirely performed on computers and portable devices. “Ireland has set itself the ambitious target of having the best education and training service in Europe within a decade,” said Minister Bruton. “To achieve this our system must be a frontrunner in embracing digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning. “Through the Action Plan for Education and the implementation of the Digital Strategy we will realise the potential of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment to help students become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens. “The development of these skills is critical for our young people in an increasingly digital landscape for their future prospects in life. “Last year I provided €30M in ICT grants to schools and a further €30M issued this year and in the next three years I will invest a further €150M to upgrade the ICT facilities in our schools. A key priority to achieving these aims will be the enhancement of broadband services to primary schools, and my Department is working with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, having regard to the National Broadband Plan, in progressing this objective.”

Spanish Estate

Spectacular country estate for sale in Enguera, Valencia province. Experience the delights of Valencia: Country Estate Set in 25 hectares of land boasting 1.200 olive trees, pine trees and 300 vineyards, this truly stunning home has a floor area of 375m2 set on 2 floors with 2 chimneys, a dedicated barbecue area and ancient wave. Ideal for horses and luxurious country living. Located in a spectacular and peaceful setting, the estate is just 10kms. from Enguera town and 85kms. from Valencia city, one of the Mediterranean’s great cities. On a clear day, it offers majestic views of the Mediterranean sea

reengueracountryhouse 1/2.indd 1

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The region Valencia combines stunning scenery with a rich cultural heritage. From sandy beaches to spectacular mountain peaks and valleys, historic cities and delightful traditional towns and villages seemingly untouched by time. Full of diversity and unexpected contrasts, Valencia offers an exceptionally varied range of scenery replete with orange orchards, citrus fruit plantations, vegetable gardens and rice paddies, small hilltop villages, monasteries in distant valleys, lovely cities, castles, mountains for climbing and

walking tours. The region is a nature lovers dream and has been delighting and intriguing visitors for generations. Come and see for yourself……. For further information or to arrange an inspection, contact Juan Antonio Abad Criado Abogado Avda. Barón de Cárcer, 31-3º-6ª C/. Nápoles, 2 46001 Valencia, 03730 Jávea (Alicante) Landline: 0034-96 342 74 28 Mobile : +34-619 19 75 74

Price: €290,000, 14/08/2018 19:46

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Free Talks and Workshops

Kildare Library and Arts Services

Toys, Technology and Training 2018

Attendance and Membership is Free!

TTT is designed to offer support to children and adults with learning difficulties, disabilities or more significant needs. Based in Athy, Leixlip and Naas Libraries this specialised collection of toys and software can be accessed free of charge in branches throughout the county and can be borrowed or utilised by joining up at any Kildare library. Items in the catalogue can be requested or renewed online and collected by the borrower at their nearest branch library.

Assistive Software & Technology Fine Motor Skills Gross Motor Skills Sensory And Tactile Play And Life Skills Speech, Language & Social Skills

For more information contact: Kildare County Library Service

KildareLibrary

www.Kildare.ie/library Tel: (01) 6060050

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Public Sector Magazine

MA in Law DIT launches new Postgraduate Law Degree

Building upon its reputation for delivering high quality flexible legal education, Dublin Institute of Technology has launched a postgraduate law degree beginning in September 2018. The Master of Arts in Law (Professional) is a King’s Inns accredited level 9 law degree taken over two years full-time or four years part-time. No prior knowledge of the law is required, and the degree is open to graduates of any discipline. Students take a compulsory, practically orientated, legal skills module in their first year of registration and a total of 11 other modules of their choice over the course of the programme. All Law Society FE1 examination subjects are offered as well as those required by the King’s Inns. The postgraduate qualification is structured so that students can attend one day per week to complete the degree over four years or two days per week to complete over two years.

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DIT continues to offer the very successful Postgraduate Diploma in Law, taken over two years part-time or one year full-time. Graduates of the PGDIP can apply to second year of the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) while students taking the Masters can opt to exit with a Postgraduate Diploma after one year fulltime or two years part-time. Classes in both programmes are small; postgraduate law students are taught independently for most modules but are free to join evening undergraduate classes for specialist topics such as Prison Law & Prisoners’ Rights, European Human Rights Law or Family law. Class sizes do not exceed 45 with many having considerably fewer students. This innovative and flexible programme offers a route to legal practice for non-law graduates. It also allows those working in Enforcement and Regulation agencies to gain a high level of legal expertise.

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BA Ord and LLB in Law In addition to post-graduate law programmes, DIT continues to offer a level 7 BA ordinary in law. Taken over three years part-time, this degree covers all of the subjects required for the Law Society FE1 examinations. Applicants to this programme must hold a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree (level 7 or higher) in any discipline or a Certificate in Legal Studies (minimum level 6) from a recognised third level institution. The programme is also open to those without formal qualifications who have at least two years of relevant experience in a workplace in which law features prominently. Students on the BA Ord attend two evenings per week during the academic year on each of the three years of the programme. There are no classes on Friday evenings and tutorials are held on six Saturdays throughout the academic year. Students who complete the BA Ord can progress to the part-time, level 8 LLB in Law.

Continuing Professional Development The School of Languages Law and Social Science offers continuing professional development courses in a range of law

subjects. All courses begin in September and run for a total of 24 weeks, 12 weeks in semester one and 12 weeks in semester two. Each CPD course entails attendance for 1.5 hours per week in the evening (after 6pm). Continuing Professional Development students do not take exams but complete a written assignment (essay style). Once they have successfully completed the module, they receive a CPD certificate. It is possible to use attendance at CPD modules as part of professional continuing legal education requirements for professional bodies. Each module provides 18 hours of class contact per calendar year and a certificate of attendance can be issued by the school. Students who wish to have their attendance recorded for this purpose should notify the school office when they commence classes. CPD modules available for 2018/9 include: Contract Law, Criminal Law, Company Law, Constitutional Law, Tort Law, Equity Law, Evidence Law, Property Law, EU Law, Employment Law, Administrative Law, Prison Law & Prisonerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rights, Refugee and Immigration Law, EU Human Rights Law, Criminology, Jurisprudence, Family Law. All law programmes are delivered at our ideally located city centre campus on Aungier Street in Dublin 2. Further information is available on the DIT website or by contacting law@dit.ie.

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Learning Lasts a Lifetime Cork City Libraries: –A vibrant, modern and vital 21st century public service at the heart of the Reading and Learning City. Cork City is only one of three European cities designated a UNESCO City of Learning and last September the UNESCO International Conference on Learning Cities was hosted in the city – the first time ever this event was held in Europe. Cork City Libraries hosted a variety of sessions and special events and played a crucial role part in organizing the Conference. They continue to participate extensively in many of the City of Learning activities including the Lifelong Learning Festival, the Bealtaine Festival for older people, and a range of adult education initiatives which support lifelong learning. In addition, libraries provide space and supports for classes organised by Centre for Adult & Continuing Education, in University College Cork, and the Cork Education & Training Board. These recent initiatives are par for the course at Cork City Council Libraries which has served as a vital resource for learning in the city for the past 125 years - going back to the days of Andrew Carnegie and before. Lifelong learning has become increasingly important in the 21st century while the needs of learners’ have become more diverse and personal. Cork City Libraries have evolved to meet the learning needs of children and adults and its staff, collections, and learning spaces provide the people of the city with the knowledge and information skills they need in the 21st century, and the workplace skills they need for their own advancement, and for the economic development of the city. These skills begin with

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One of the most significant challenges for public libraries is how to strike a creative balance between the traditional ways of doing things while harnessing the potential of a variety of technologies and new ways of working to improve service delivery. literacy in all its forms – digital, cultural and information – in addition to communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity, and innovation. Books and Reading Cork City Council Libraries are also the cornerstone of the Reading City. While the Cork World

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The essence of

Book Fest 2017 was the high point of the Reading City, numerous other events took place last year which served to connect writers and their readers and help make Cork a true reading city. Libraries promoted the benefits and joy derived from reading by providing support to book clubs, book launches, author visits, and workshops. The essence of the Reading City is to promote a love for reading and to keep it at centre stage throughout the city, by providing a range of different opportunities for readers to meet some of their favourite writers. The sheer diversity of authors who greeted audiences and read for them in the cities libraries was one of the many stand-out features of both the Fest and the year-long Reading City programme. To name just a few, in 2017 the Library welcomed Juan Tomás Avila Laurel from Equatorial Guinea, Flavia Company, from Buenos Aires via Barcelona, Florian Wacker, a young German writer, as well as a wide range of writers in English and Irish from Ireland, and writers from USA, Canada and Britain. Technology in Libraries – no need to be afraid of the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ Libraries are no different than any other private or public sector organization and like all sectors of activity in the modern

world , they need both to embrace new technologies while remaining mindful of the consequences of introducing such technologies. One of the most significant challenges for public libraries is how to strike a creative balance between the traditional ways of doing things while harnessing the potential of a variety of technologies and new ways of working to improve service delivery. In 2015 Cork City Libraries introduced RFID-enabled self-service kiosks in order to enable people to borrow and return library items themselves. From the outset they made it clear to the public as well as elected Councillors, and the media that this measure was not designed to replace staff but rather to free up staff from routines so tt they can better engage with the public, advise them on choices for books, answer other queries, as well as being close at hand to help out with the kiosks, for people not yet familiar with them. Regardless of application, the priority when introducing new technologies is to ensure that routines, procedures, and so on will continue to allow for creative interaction between staff and the public. People are and will remain our greatest strength: the people who use the service, and the people who provide the service.

the Reading

City is to keep

the benefits and joys of reading

front and centre throughout the

city, by providing a range of different opportunities

for readers to

meet some of the

writers they enjoy and admire.

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Transforming Spaces With the opening of Athy Community Library earlier this year, Kildare County Council Library Services have realised their vision of creating â&#x20AC;&#x153;a space to connect, to learn, to explore and to enjoyâ&#x20AC;? for the local community.

In March of this year, Kildare County Council Library Service opened a transformative new Community Library in Athy, breathing new life to an iconic community space. The extent to which the community has embraced and welcomed the new library has firmly dispelled any notion that libraries are outdated or have been rendered increasingly redundant by technology.

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In the first two months over 20,000 people visited the library while more than 3,000 people became members and 35,000 interactions took place on the self-service machines. An estimated 120,000 people are expected to visit the library annually. Athy Community Library has also hosted over 100 events since opening and has initiated a broad and diverse range of programs in order to encourage participation from a broad

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cross-section of the community. Events hosted to date include creative writing workshops for young adults, yoga workshops for children with additional needs to eServices workshops for older people on how to use tablets and smartphones. Located in a former Dominican Church, the building’s unique architecture provided ample inspiration for the project design and the library staff also played a key contribution in determining the imaginative and creative approach adopted by the design team. The success of the project illustrates the importance of continued and sustained investment in the public library service, not alone in Kildare but throughout the country. Athy Community Library received €1.65m from the Department of Rural and Community Development Library Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021, with a further €2.1m provided by Kildare County Council. Designed by Thompsons Architect and Designers, Ballinacurra House, Ballinacurra, Co. Limerick, the former church is a freestanding brutalist style church with a hyperbolic paraboloid roof constructed using reinforced cast in-situ concrete. Stained glass windows, original to the building bring an array of colour into the space which varies throughout the day with the movement of the sun. The library occupies a total floor space of 970 sq.m and functionality has been achieved using a collaborative approach with planning input from the local community, the library team, planners, architects and IT specialists. The space is largely open plan allowing for flexibility which allows the accommodation of future advancements. This openness allows for self-service facilities, increased interaction from library staff, enhanced citizen engagement and optimum accessibility – it is a space to connect, to learn, to explore and to enjoy. There are also 2 community meeting rooms that can be used by local community groups free of charge. Spaces have been created for all ages. The adult library space holds the vast multimedia, language and audiovisual collections, with soft leisure reading space and a broad range of literature and imaginative works. In the children’s and young people’s space the aim is to promote imagination, creativity and confidence. Introducing children and young people to the world of knowledge, ideas, science and technologies is a priority thus balancing the development of digital literacy with reading and imaginative

development as well as information filtering skills. The children’s library is situated with high visibility to the front of the building, incorporating flexible furniture and providing a fun environment for children to discover, explore, play, create, imagine and enjoy. In any modern community library you can expect excellent IT facilities and these are dispersed throughout the building as appropriate to each age group and need. The digital services and IT space further enhances the library services role in the support of life-long learning, enterprise, employment, development and information literacy development. The multipurpose area in the original altar location is designed for flexibility. The furniture can be moved and stored away to accommodate floor exhibitions, lectures, workshops, conferences, recitals and training. The Kildare Library Programme Team has worked on a comprehensive annual programme which can be accommodated in this space. This includes the Parenting, STEAM, Healthy Ireland at Your Library, Work Matters, Shelf Help, Support for Secondary Schools Programmes, Culture Night, Children’s Book Festival, Summer Reading Challenge and many more specialised activities. Athy Community Library is a regional hub for the popular Toys, Technology and Training (TTT) Project. This is a specialist service provided free of charge through the Kildare Library Service since 2007. The project is designed to offer support to children and adults with learning difficulties, disabilities or more significant needs by providing access to a specialised collection of Toys, Assistive Technology and Software. Based in Athy, Leixlip and Naas Libraries this specialised collection of toys, can be accessed in any of Kildare Library Services branches or on the Mobile Library service throughout the county and can be borrowed or utilised by joining up at any Kildare library. Items in the catalogue can be requested or renewed online and collected by the borrower at their nearest branch library. Membership of TTT is free to those working/ living/ attending school in County Kildare. This collection has been chosen by the staff of Kildare Library Service in partnership with occupational therapists working in the community. Athy Community Library and libraries throughout Kildare also host a series of free workshops and lectures to promote the collection and to offer further guidance, support and networking opportunities for parents, teachers and healthcare professionals.

In the children’s

and young people’s space the aim

is to promote imagination,

creativity and confidence.

Introducing

children and young people

to the world

of knowledge,

ideas, science and technologies is a priority thus balancing the

development of

digital literacy with reading

and imaginative development as well as

information

filtering skills.

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Public Sector Magazine

Calling all IT Startups, this Calling all unique IT Startups, A vibrant and location this Cutting edge IT infrastructure AAstrong and welcoming IT network vibrant and unique location Join us: connectandinvest.com/sligo Cutting edge IT infrastructure A strong and welcoming IT network Join us: connectandinvest.com/sligo

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Strategic Investment Government to refocus the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to better meet the needs of a strong & growing economy The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe has announced that the Government will refocus the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) on key Government priorities to ensure that the needs of the Irish economy, which is experiencing strong growth, are being met. This takes account of the risks that may be posed by economic overheating and the appropriateness of ISIF’s investment mandate given our current economic performance. Priorities include the delivery of Project Ireland 2040, supporting housing delivery, and enhancing the resilience of our economy and public finances. In making this decision, the Government also took account of the wider challenges facing the State, including: Brexit, the nominal level of public debt, national competitiveness, global economic uncertainties and geopolitical risks. The reallocation and refocussing of ISIF’s funds will better target Government interventions in addressing these challenges, ensuring we are better prepared for what lies ahead. Minister Donohoe has recommended that the ISIF should move from a broad investment strategy that is focused on all sectors, to a focus on the priorities that will support Project Ireland 2040 and have a more direct and positive impact on the economy’s long-term growth potential. These priorities include key sustainable economic challenges, such as investments that support: Indigenous industry; regional development; sectors adversely affected by Brexit; projects to address climate change and housing supply. On this basis, the Government has decided to refocus ISIF funds along the following lines: n The reallocations of the ISIF funds will be made through legislation going through the Oireachtas, including the legislation establishing Home Building Finance Ireland and the Rainy Day Fund. n The Minister for Finance will be writing to the Chief Executive of the NTMA to inform him of the Government’s

Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe

In making this decision, the Government also

took account of the wider challenges facing the State, including: Brexit, the nominal level of public debt, national competitiveness, global economic uncertainties and geopolitical risks.

decision to request that ISIF develops a refocused investment plan, which ISIF will now develop. The Minister’s officials have already held discussions with ISIF so as to allow it to begin preparatory work on the refocused investment strategy. Speaking about the decision to refocus ISIF funds, Minister Donohoe stated that it was necessary in order to address the key challenges that our State faces. “ISIF’s refocused investment strategy will support the delivery of Project Ireland 2040 through investments in indigenous industry, the regions and sectors affected by Brexit,” he said. “ As previously stated, €1.5 billion of ISIF funds are being allocated to the Rainy Day Fund with an additional €750 million going to the Home Building Ireland Finance initiative, which will better prepare us to meet future downturns that may lie ahead, and to help us to meet the needs of our citizens.” The Government decision on ISIF is based on the statutory review of ISIF’s investment strategy as required under section 40 of the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014, and also detailed analysis of the State’s economic and fiscal position by the Department of Finance, and the key challenges now facing the State. The review of ISIF concluded that ISIF is meeting its statutory objectives of economic impact and a commercial return, and ISIF has leveraged higher levels of investment in the Irish economy than initially forecasted. However, the review also flagged the need for further consideration of the appropriateness of ISIF’s investment mandate given the current performance of the Irish economy and the wider challenges to the State. The Government and the Minister are particularly aware of the risks posed by economic overheating, for which the Government has adopted a broadly neutral Exchequer fiscal strategy.

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SRA roles out the future Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re now just over 44 months down the road since the consolidation of regional governance created the Southern Regional Assembly, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly and the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly.

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Each of the three assemblies have been granted considerable additional powers and now exert considerable influence in relation to planning and economic development. The Assemblies main functions are to: Manage and monitor EU programmes of Assistance ; co-ordinate, promote and support strategic planning and sustainable development of the region; promote effective local government and public services in the region, in conjunction with the National Oversight and Audit Commission; and prepare and oversee the implementation of Regional Spatial & Economic Strategies (RSES). For its part, Southern Regional Assembly (SRA) is made up of 33 councillors who are nominated by their respective local authorities from within David Kelly the Region. David Kelly as acting Director is the public face of the SRA and remains very positively disposed towards the changes that have evolved since the new Assemblies became real-life bodies in January 2015. “Overall, I would say it has been very positive,” Kelly enthuses. “The combining of the two principal functions of the structural funds management together with our new role with regard to regional economic and spatial planning is very progressive. The integration of the two functions together is a very positive move.” Kelly is clearly energised by the direction the SRA is heading and believes that the integrated approach to spatial, economic and social planning strengthens regional democracy in Ireland. In that regard, the SRA chief is delighted to witness the integration which is currently at an advanced stage – in the form of a soon to be published draft strategy which is shaped and influenced by the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan. Like its counterparts, the SRA receives funding from the Irish exchequer and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to carry out its functions as the Managing Authority for the Regional Programme. With the next funding period of 2021 to 2027 peeping its head over the horizon, Kelly points to the wealth of EU programme management experience residing within the organisation and is confident of SRA’s continued central role in delivering successful programmes and supporting a range of Interreg programmes. He does acknowledge that “we have to continue to be strategic in how we use the

limited resources. “Increasingly the money that does come from Brussels does not come to us as a blank cheque. The areas we can invest in are more and more prescribed by European regulations. “Currently we have five areas we are permitted to invest in. Firstly there is innovation research and development, the second is in urban regeneration and then there is investment in initiatives to support the drive towards a low carbon economy and the delivery of National Broadband Plan. Finally, there are funds for entrepreneurship and supporting small enterprises. “In the past a lot of money would have went into infrastructure now most of our money goes into people. That means it can go a lot further.” Kelly is looking forward to the Waterford city-headquartered body being able to plan ahead in terms of the economic fortune of the region and the more traditional physical planning “because it (funding) will now be integrated to the overall economic planning and not done on a sidebar as a standalone exercise.” The Southern Regional Assembly holds court over a large and diverse part of Ireland consisting of Carlow, Tipperary, Waterford (city and county), Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork (city and county), Kerry, Clare and Limerick (city and county). Kelly hopes that the economic and spatial strategies that the SRA is working on will support and copper fasten the job creation conditions in the region and sustain a burgeoning population in the above-mentioned cities and counties. “We have to translate the national planning framework now to the regional level,” Kelly declares. “We have to identify what are the main economic drivers in our region and we have to work hard at creating the environment to which the local authorities in the regions can bid for funding under new urban development funds and rural development funds.” The National Planning Framework envisages a consolidated growth in population in the cities of Cork, Limerick and Waterford and across the region within the next couple of decades and Kelly says the SRA is totally focussed on facilitating the accessing of funds garnered under the Project Ireland 2040 to embolden the cities and the network of towns within commuting distance of them and the entirety of the region. The current head of the SRA is certain the integration that has arrived “ it will bear fruit” but patience must not be in short supply:

In that regard,

he says the SRA’s priorities are

closely aligned

with the priorities of the European Commission

vis-à-vis the building of

a knowledge

economy, the

upskilling of the workforce and supporting start-ups.

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Members and staff of the Southern Regional Assembly, AGM, July 2018, Assembly House, Waterford. “There is a lot to do and it can’t all be done overnight,” Kelly cautions. “The overall planning framework is a 20-year strategy. “It will take two national development plans to fully implement it. A significant start will be made in the first 10 years.” Kelly and his colleagues on the SRA know that they have a tremendously solid base to work from in their attempts at propelling the region to greater riches. There is an acknowledgment among the SRA representatives that the region is very rich in natural resources, in terms of the talent pool of its people, agriculture and marine also and in renewable energy too; all areas that are being targeted for future growth. Simply said, the Southern region’s economic potential brooks no debate. However, Kelly believes that having everyone from regional to national level working from the same script is crucial to realising planned growth projections for the Southern region. “As you know there is a lot of sectoral policies and plans out there. A rich seam of actions and initiatives like the regional action plan for jobs and the Regional Skills Fora, a strong higher education sector, we are working with delivery agents of these initiatives to maximise the opportunities for our Region”. “Our approach to devising regional policy is pioneering, it needs to be in order for our region to succeed. We want every community in our region to benefit from Project Ireland 2040: The National Planning Framework (NPF) and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES)”. The SRA chief explains that his Assembly is determined to optimise its resources in terms of spending and planning. In that regard, he says the SRA’s priorities are closely aligned with the priorities of the European Commission vis-àvis the building of a knowledge economy, the upskilling of the workforce and supporting start-ups. “We’re talking here about a shared management system. The Commission agree the overall framework for three or four areas to

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invest in and then it is up to each Member State how to utilise that.” Kelly is proud of the fact that the SRA uses its ERDF programme funding for research and development, working very closely with the Higher Education Institutes to enable them to develop their capacity to engage in research and innovation activities with industry and across a number of commercialisation of research schemes. “I’m pleased to say that our collaboration with higher level institutes and with industry is paying dividends. It means now the Higher Education Institutes have increased capacity to seek funding under the bigger programmes. “It is crucial that these institutions collaborate with industry to determine what local industry needs in terms of research. Then we take up the challenge of trying to commercialise that research.” It’s a brave new world in regional planning and regional governance, the Assembly members are mindful of the critical role they have assumed and the reach of the decisions they are making in the guise of the approving the RSES. They are guided in these critical decisions by strong principles of sustainable and equitable development, and a recognition that the rewards will be experienced by all the regions citizens. Kelly concludes by describing the SRA’s collective vision for the Region, “it is one that nurtures all our places to realise their full potential, to achieve economic prosperity and improved quality of life for all our citizens, promote the region’s international reputation as one of Europe’s most creative, innovative, greenest and liveable regions”. Mr. Stephen Blair, retired from as Director of the Southern Regional Assembly in July 2018 having served faithfully for 18 years, from the establishment of the Assembly in 2000. Mr. David Kelly is currently acting Director of the Assembly. David joined the Assembly in 2001 and has served as a Programme Executive and has been Assistant Director, European Programme Division for the past 10 years.

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A strategic partnership proudly delivering major infrastructure to Dublin Port

The Roadbridge - L&M Keating JV brings together two of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most experienced contractors, with proven track records of delivering on time, every time. 66

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On the Crest of a Wave The latest figures on Ireland’s Ocean Economy published by NUI Galway shows in 2017 the direct economic value of the ocean economy was €1.97 billion representing a 22% increase on 2015.

The updated figures from NUI Galway’s Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) indicate that in 2017, the direct economic value of Ireland’s ocean economy was an estimated €1.97 billion or approximately 1% of gross domestic product (GDP), which represents a 21% increase on 2015 figures. The 2017 estimates also suggest that our ‘blue economy’ continues to grow at a faster pace than the general economy. Dr Stephen Hynes, Director of SEMRU from the Whitaker Institute for Innovation and Societal Change at NUI Galway, said the latest figures indicate that Ireland’s ocean economy continues to see substantial growth across both established and emerging marine industries. “While 2016 saw a large increase in activity in the oil and gas industry on the back of the Corrib gas project coming on line, more recent growth in 2017 is being driven by strong performances in the aquaculture, sea fisheries, shipping and marine tourism industries, as well as continued growth in the emerging ocean industries,” he said. Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland, published in July 2012, outlines a number of specific targets which seek to expand Ireland’s ocean economy. One of those targets aims to double its value to 2.4% of GDP by 2030. This 2.4% figure was based on a total estimate (both direct and indirect Gross Value Added) in 2007 for the Irish Ocean

OCEAN WEALTH 2017 The ocean economy had a turnover of €5.49 billion in 2017. The indirect economic value in 2017 amounted to €1.75 billion, with a total direct and indirect gross value added (GVA) value of €3.71 billion, which represents 1.85% of GDP. The ocean economy provided employment to over 32,500 individuals, fulltime equivalents in 2017. Established Marine Industries had a turnover of €5.1 billion and provided employment to 30,000 full-time equivalents in 2017, representing 92% of the total turnover and 93% of total employment in Ireland’s ocean economy in 2017. Oil and gas exploration and production, marine aquaculture and tourism and leisure in marine and coastal areas, all experienced a significant increase in activity, with turnover, GVA and employment increasing across the sector in the 2015-2017 period. In line with an estimated increase in tourism activity generally in Ireland it is assumed that the tourism in marine and coastal areas increased by 6.7%. The shipping and maritime transport sector also exhibited increases, as seen by the 6% increase year on year in the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO)’s i-ship index in 2017. The i-ship index is used by the IMDO to gauge the health of the Irish maritime industry. Emerging Marine Industries had a turnover of €398 million and provided employment to over 2,000 full-time equivalents representing 8% of the turnover and 7% of employment in Ireland’s ocean economy in 2017. The emerging industries include advanced marine technology products and services, maritime commerce, marine biotechnology and bioproducts and marine renewable energy.

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“GENERATIONS OF STEVEDORING”

• STEVEDORING • LABOUR SUPPLY • CRANE/MACHINERY HIRE • HEAVY HAULAGE • AGENCY • CHARTERING • LOGISTICS • WAREHOUSING

Dublin Stevedores Ltd.

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MARINE OPPORTUNITIES KNOCK

economy that amounted to 1.2% of GDP at that time. The latest marine industry statistics from SEMRU indicate that the total direct and indirect value of the Irish ocean economy is €3.71 billion which represents 1.85% of GDP in 2017. Addressing delegates at the annual ‘Our Ocean Wealth’ Summit at Galway Docks, which included industry leaders, policy makers, researchers and maritime entrepreneurs, Minister Creed said Ireland has taken important strides in recent years in developing our blue economy. “This is being driven at the highest levels of Government and represents a unique and joined up approach to growing Ireland’s blue economy. The work of our cross Departmental high level Marine Coordination Group (MCG,) which I chair, will continue as we seek to build on recent success,” he said. “The 2017 estimates suggest that our ‘blue economy’ continues to grow at a faster pace than the general economy. Growth in 2017 is being driven by strong performances in the aquaculture, sea fisheries, shipping and marine tourism industries as well as continued growth in the emerging ocean industries. A really encouraging statistic is the growth in employment for the marine

According to the recent Global Marine Trends 2030 Report, the marine sector can expect strong growth across commercial shipping, naval sector, offshore energy and aquaculture in the coming decades. There is an enormous opportunity for Irish businesses operating in sectors such as engineering, energy, food and technology, to expand their offerings to the marine sector. Dr Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute said Ireland is surrounded by oceans and has the potential to be a global market leader in the marine sector. “We already have a significant number of indigenous companies excelling internationally in the marine space, and there is an opportunity for more Irish companies to expand into this sector and lead with innovation, global ambition and backed by excellent research and facilities,” he said. PwC Partner, Declan McDonald, said the central theme for the 2018 Summit demonstrates how the integrated marine plan for Ireland is moving into a new phase of commercial engagement beyond EU and Government funding. We see this theme developing globally with many investment managers and investors actively engaged in funding projects in line with the UN sustainable development goals. We see significant activity in the ocean economy to attract investors seeking returns. PwC in Ireland and globally continues to raise awareness and support the sustainable development of the ocean economy recognising that the oceans’ health and wealth are inextricably linked.” Now in its fifth year, Our Ocean Wealth Summit in association with PWC is supported by a number of partners including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Science Foundation Ireland, Failte Ireland, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO). The Summit is an output of Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, the Government’s integrated plan for Ireland’s marine sector, which aims to double the value of the marine economy’s contribution to GDP by 2030.

sector which has risen from 27,888 (FTEs) in 2015 to an estimated 32,509 (FTEs) in 2017, an increase of 16.6%.” The ‘Our Ocean Wealth Summit’ format now in its fifth year forms a key part of the Government’s integrated plan for Ireland’s marine sector and brings together national and international expert speakers, industry leaders, business development agencies and the Irish business and marine research community. This year’s discussions focused on the overall theme of ‘Investing in Marine Ireland’.

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First Port of Call Ambitious plans are underway at Dublin Port to double trade volumes by 2040. The company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Michael Sheary talks to Public Sector Magazine about the €1.6bn investment aimed at future proofing the country’s most important Port.

The severe snowfall which brought Ireland to a virtual standstill in February this year provided a stark reminder of the critical importance of Dublin Port to the nation’s economic welfare. In just a few short days supermarket shelves across the country were left severely depleted and reports emerged of people stockpiling groceries and essential supplies. The importance of shipping to a small island nation was highlighted in stark fashion. A self-financing private limited company wholly owned by the state and a national asset of vital strategic importance, Dublin Port facilitates the smooth passage of trade in one of the most open economies in the world. According to Michael Sheary, Chief Financial Officer, almost 50% of all trade in the country passes through the nation’s principal port. “We depend on the ports for our ability to trade and Dublin port is the principal gateway for trade in the country. In terms of volume 90% of all goods leaving the state pass through the port,” he says. “We are an integral node of the logistics chain and our main

objective is to facilitate the efficient flow of goods as part of that whole cycle. We see ourselves as an infrastructure provider and our principal assets are the berth, the quays and the approach channel into the port. In the past we were directly involved in crane driving, warehousing and other auxiliary activities but we have relinquished those responsibilities over recent years and we now concentrate solely on infrastructure provision and we let the private sector get on with the business of delivering those services. Our businesses is developing that infrastructure and future-proofing the port over the next 30 years.” The key role played by Dublin Port in underpinning Ireland’s trade and economic growth is apparent from the fact that historically throughput in terms of gross tonnage has tended to move in synch with overall GDP growth. Historically the correlation has been around 1.5% growth per percentage point of GDP growth although it varies from year to year. When the financial crisis erupted and threatened to sink the economy, Dublin Port suffered a rare blip in the sustained

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and uninterrupted growth rates which it had enjoyed over the previous decade. During 2008 and 2009, throughput declined by approximately 15% for the first time since the 90s. However, in comparison with some of the country’s other ports where trade volumes declined by as much as 50%, the capital’s port proved relatively resilient. “Dublin port is intrinsically linked to consumer demand and commodity imports such as food and clothes,” explains Michael. “We still had to feed and clothe ourselves and these items were not affected as much as luxury or non-essential items. A 15% decline is significant but some of the other ports were affected far more severely. “We also recovered quickly and in 2010 we grew by 6% and held steady for a couple of years before growth began to accelerate again.” Over the last five years throughput at Dublin Port has increased by 30%. In the first half of this year Roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) freight increased 4.6 per cent to 508,000 units and it is on course to surpass one million units for the first time by the end of this year. The port’s container volumes increased 5.8 per cent to 356,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit. Currently 50% of all ro-ro traffic and 54% of Lift On-Lift off (lo-lo) traffic passes through the port and freight levels are now approximately 17% above the peak levels achieved in 2007 - just before the onset of the financial crisis. Today, 36 tonnes of traffic pass through the port annually and ambitious plans are underway to increase that volume to 77m tonnes by 2040. Representing an investment of some €1.6bn, the ‘Dublin Port Masterplan 2012 to 2040’ is the CFO’s overriding priority at present and it is geared towards future proofing the port and providing the additional facilities required to support a doubling of trade volumes. The overall Masterplan seeks to further re-integrate the port

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within the city and optimise the existing footprint of the port without reclaiming additional land from Dublin Bay. “The big challenge for us in terms of our future development and in terms of our ability to facilitate future growth in trade is to eke as much as we can in terms of the existing footprint of the port,” says Sheary. “Our ability to expand is very much constrained. If you look at the port, we are bound to the west by the city and to the east by the bay where our ability to expand is close to zero because we have special areas of protection under EU designation and there are also special areas of conservation for marine interests.” The overall masterplan encompasses three main projects, the first and most ambitious of which is the Alexander Basin Redevelopment project (ABR). Set to be completed by 2021 at a cost of €277m, the redevelopment will improve the port’s capacity for large ships by deepening and lengthening three kilometres of the port’s seven kilometres of berths and also deepening the entrance channel. Part of the river at Alexandra Basin is to be dredged to create 12m deep berths for some of the world’s biggest liners to dock beside the East Link toll bridge. The new deep-water berths by the toll bridge will have room for two 340m cruise ships and one 145m cruise ship. Berths will also be deepened and extended at Alex Quay West and Ocean Pier West in the docks to accommodate dry-bulk freight ships and container ships. Two berths for ro-ro freight ships and a large ship-turning area have also been included in the plans. “The trend we have seen over the last number of years is that ships are getting bigger. The quays here were originally built in the 50s and 60s and were never envisaged to cater for the loads which they are required to accommodate today,” explains Sheary. The second element of master plan involves a complete reconfiguration of the ro-ro terminals which currently has

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three operators (Irish Ferries, Stena and Sea truck Ferries), that operate entirely independently of one another with separate checking facilities and security and road access. The reconfiguration will provide for a common usage area and a single check-in area which will maximise the space available and significantly enhance efficiencies. In addition, 44 hectares of land has also been purchased close to Dublin Airport where non-core activities associated with the port will be relocated in order to free up more space for transit, storage and cargo. A number of commentators have questioned whether the plan to double freight volumes over the next twenty plus year is excessively ambitious but Sheary is satisfied that the targets are entirely feasible. “Over the long run it is not unreasonable to see that level of growth; particularly in the context of the National development plan, which anticipates an extra million people living in the country by 2040. Effectively it amounts to a growth rate of 3.3% per annum and it is the compounding effect of that growth which will allow us to meet our objectives. We are talking about an investment of approximately € 1.6bn which is frontloaded and which will entail a spend of approximately €1bn over the next 10 years Ideally, we would like to be able to have all our planning permissions and licenses in place, so that we can turn the tap on and off as economic conditions dictate. If there is a downturn we can scale back and vice versa. “But the main priority for us is keeping the operators functioning as smoothly as possible. The model we have developed is delivering a very competitive model within the port and there are now four ro-ro operators and three container terminals competing with each other for business.” One potential obstacle which looms on the horizon is Brexit which is likely to significantly disrupt trade with the UK, our most critical trading partner. The UK accounts for 18% of our total exports and is the second largest single destination country for Ireland’s goods and the largest for its services. Meanwhile Ireland imports 30pc of its goods from the UK. “I do not think there is any commentator who would argue that Brexit will not have a negative impact on GDP growth; but we

Over the last five years throughput at Dublin Port has increased by 30%. In the first half of this year Roll-on/ roll-off (ro-ro) freight increased 4.6 per cent to 508,000 units and it is on course to surpass one million units for the first time by the end of this year. The port’s container volumes increased 5.8 per cent to 356,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit.

are forecasting growth nonetheless - even thought it might be slightly curtailed. On the other hand, I expect the strong population growth levels which are anticipated to go a long way towards compensating for the impact of Brexit. “Obviously, a hard Brexit will mean some sort of border control being reintroduced and that would certainly be unwelcome. However, we have to prepare for every possible contingency and we are working closely with state agencies such as the Departments of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs to determine the potential requirements in terms of food and sanitary inspections and to assess the kind of infrastructure that may need to be deployed. “We should also bear in mind that market forces adapt and respond to change and we have already begun to see that happen with the launch of Irish Ferries new service which runs directly from Dublin to France.” Dublin Port is also an increasingly significant player in the cruise and leisure sector. Last year the number of cruise visitors using the port broke the 210,000mark for the first time and increased by more than 30% compared to the previous year’s numbers. There was a significant increase in the number of cruise calls at the port, with 127 ships making a stop in the capital, 18 more than the year before. Dublin Port Company also recorded an increase in the size of the cruise ships visiting the capital, with the average cruise ship increasing from just over 39,940 gross tonnes to 45,270 gross tonnes. According to 2016 CSO figures, roughly half of all cruise passengers visiting Ireland pass through Dublin with Cork the country’s second busiest port. From a revenue or business perspective the cruise sector is not the most significant part of our business but it is important and we see it as helping to contribute to the economic growth of the city. Some of these cruises are bringing 5000 people to the port and that is a considerable boost to revenue for the hospitality and retail sector in Dublin. Dublin Port certainly appears to have taken note of the old adage: “Fail to Prepare – Prepare to Fail’ and it is putting in all the planning and groundwork necessary to ensure it continues to successfully facilitate trade in one of the most trade dependent nations on earth

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Maritime Master Harbour Master of Galway Port, Captain Brian Sheridan tells Public Sector Magazine of the urgent needs for expansion at Galway Port and outlines the potential of the maritime economy in the West of Ireland.

Seafest 2018

The Expansion of the Port of Galway has been a key focus of successive harbour boards for almost two decades. The executive and a raft of specialist consultants have brought the planning application with An Bord Pleanála under article 6(4) of the habitats directive what is known as I R O P I (Imperative Reasons for Overriding Public Interest). It will be the first planning application of this type to emanate out of Ireland. The Ports Harbour Master, Captain Brian Sheridan has warned that ships are getting larger, while the facility at the Port has remained unchanged for the last 180 years. “The narrow shipping channel and fickle River Corrib at the entrance at the dockgates make for challenging operational constraints, not only in manoeuvring these oversized ships at the outdated harbour but also in the port estate where we find ourselves surrounded on three flanks by residential, hotel, bars, restaurants and commercial units,” he says. However, he points out that port expansion is not a new or recent phenomenon and Ports will typically need to move downstream as the city they serve expands and grows towards them. “We can see this in other Port cities such as Dublin and Cork and we only have to look at some of the names of the quays such as ‘coal quay’ in Cork which is now a developed residential and retail complex. The clue is in the name,” he says.

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“Coal ships used to discharge there and was a hive of stevedoring activity. In Galway, Quay Street which sweeps down to the river is where ships used to moor and trade and commerce exchanged hands. Today, Quay Street is Galway’s most popular tourist destination, lined with pubs, restaurants and retail shopping regenerated from warehousing and maritime connected businesses.” Captain Sheridan points to the Galways’ strong maritime heritage and says that the people of the region and particularly those involved in the port and maritime industry are proud of its seafaring legacy and traditions. “We at the Port are proud of our maritime heritage, our connection with the sea and all who sail on her,” he says. “We only have to look at the logo and crest of City Hall and it reminds us that the reason Galway is where it is located is because of ships and the sea. Everywhere we look in our city there are constant symbols of our maritime links with marine transportation and the iconic Galway Hooker. Galway is a trading commercial Port city for more than 1,000 years and its maritime heritage has been instrumental in shaping the city. “The port and trading ships have subconsciously moulded us into who we are, it has introduced us to foreign customs and crafts from the crews of visiting ships

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“For us to be able to efficiently utilise these resources on behalf of the state and create a true Blue Growth in our economy, there needs to be a modern deep water Port at Galway. There lies a stretch of coastline of 1,500km from Foynes to Derry where there is not a Port in the TEN-T network of Ports, when the average distance in the EU between Ports in the network is 204km.” and has opened our horizons as a people over centuries. The connection with Spain and the Spanish Arch spring to mind and also the 14 Tribes were trading merchants, improving the prosperity of Galway by way of trading ships.” In the 1830 Act for the improvement of Galway Harbour it states: “Since vessels of burden cannot with safety or convenience be brought to the said Port, it would be appropriate, in order to facilitate and augment the trade of the town and neighbourhood, that a suitable docks and quays be constructed which would be highly beneficial to the inhabitants of Galway.” According to Captain Sheridan the very same quote from the 1830 Act still stands today and Galway Port requires immediate investment to ensure it evolves and meets the demands of a modern economy trading globally. “We do not want to lose that connection with the sea or our trading nations and we want to continue that tradition of over 1,000 years by ensuring the Port infrastructure is fit for purpose, meets the demands of modern shipping, provides wharfs and quays that are capable of accommodating the needs of our customers and be able to continue an important economic driver in the region. He says that in the aftermath of BREXIT, the west of Ireland will become even more marginalised and the most peripheral inhabitants that reside in the offshore islands of Aran and Inishbofin will be even more isolated. “Even more reason to have a proper and efficient Port to ensure connectivity with the Europe,” he notes. In addition, Ireland needs to take advantage of the raft of offshore opportunities which exist in the maritime economy. “We

Galway Port

need to do more to capitalise on our Ocean Wealth, whether that is in Aquaculture, Natural Resources such as wind and wave energy, Cruise Tourism, Seafood and Marine Leisure,” he says. “For us to be able to efficiently utilise these resources on behalf of the state and create a true Blue Growth in our economy, there needs to be a modern deep water Port at Galway. There lies a stretch of coastline of 1,500km from Foynes to Derry where there is not a Port in the TEN-T network of Ports, when the average distance in the EU between Ports in the network is 204km. This needs to be reversed and a review of the Ports Policy in light of BREXIT needs to be undertaken. “The Volvo Ocean Race in 2009 and again in 2012 caused us as a people to re-engage with the ocean and turn around and face the sea. SeaFest2018 in Galway for its third consecutive year to celebrate ‘Our Ocean Wealth’ from the 29th June to the 1st July when the city and region will embrace what is arguably Ireland’s greatest natural resource, the Ocean. Year on year, SeaFest has grown in popularity demonstrating Galwegians grá for all things maritime. “The Port expansion is a vital springboard is moving the west of Ireland forward in future proofing our capability to harness our ocean wealth, to improve our ocean literacy, to promote the Wild Atlantic Way for cruise tourism and marine leisure, make Galway the seafood capital of Ireland and develop it into the leading Research Port for the Atlantic Arc and thus creating an economic counter balance to the east coast which is overheating. “We live on an island and we need to start thinking like islanders and with the uncertainty of BREXIT the Port is needed more than ever before and we need to deliver this necessary infrastructure for the west of Ireland and to bring the Port under the TEN-T European Network of Ports.”

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Marine Learning Field based learning & continued professional development in NUI Galway: MSc Coastal and Marine Environments

The MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments is a full-time postgraduate course delivered over three semesters. It is directed at graduates from Geography, Natural and Environmental Sciences and related disciplines in the Social Sciences, and at professionals in the field who are interested in furthering their knowledge of climate change and their impacts on coastal and marine environments. Earlier this year the Irish Government established four local authority Regional Climate Change Offices (CAROs) to meet obligations under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. The CAROs are implementing new sustainable coastal and marine management strategies based on guidelines developed described within the National Adaptation Framework. Subsumed within these plans is the long term goal of “building adaptive capacity” and “increasing climate resilience” of our socio-ecological and economic systems. This MSc programme, theoretically informed but with a very strong field-based and applied focus, is offered in direct response to these emerging statutory laws that are now the legal instruments to manage coastal and marine environments.

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THE MSC SEEKS TO: n Teach students and professionals how to implement new climate change adaptation guidelines. n Develop critical insights that can support policy and practice in sustaining these increasingly vulnerable environments. n Challenge and facilitate students to engage with research questions that go beyond established scientific conceptual and theoretical perspectives. There are a variety of key areas covered in the course programme including, coastal processes and landforms, marine spatial planning and policy, reconstructing marine environments (+ research cruise experience), field and laboratory methods, biodiversity and coastal change, the tropical ocean and global climate and dissertation. According to Dr. Eugene Farrell, Discipline of Geography at NUI Galway it is critical that the next generation of scientists are properly trained and provided with accredited continued professional development as Ireland implements new climate

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A driving motivation of the programme is the conviction that informed decision making for addressing environmental change and adoption of appropriate management, planning and policy strategies in coastal and marine environments should be based upon appropriate scientific evidence. legislation, such as the National Adaptation Framework, and local authorities have new responsibilities for the transition to a climate resilient Ireland. “We hear and read about climate change impacts every day in the media; we have new statutory laws for climate change legislated by our Irish Government; and we research climate change science in our Universities,” said Dr. Farrell. “But what we don’t do effectively is communicate science to the policymakers and planners or engage sufficiently with the relevant stakeholders for whom the new laws are supposedly designed to benefit such as landowners, residents, visitors and managers. We can also do much more to create and mobilize scientific knowledge that can effectively inform and direct collective action with respect to the environment. “But I am satisfied that all these imbalances are been addressed in the NUI Galway 12 month taught MSc programme.” Dr Liam Carr, Programme Coordinator, says that while most new coastal and marine policies have commitments to consider the natural environment; scientific training is rarely offered in conjunction with these new policies. “Our MSc programme is designed to fill some of these gaps. Industry partners have repeatedly asked us to deliver 3-5-day accredited workshops for Continued Professional Development to meet these new demands so we have built capacity to do this,” he says. More information at: www.nuig.ie/Geography Twitter: @SeaShoreNUIG Facebook: CoastalMarineNUIG

NUI Galway MSc Programme ‘Coastal and Marine Environments: Physical Processes, Policy and Practice’ Field based learning & continued professional development. The MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments is a full-time postgraduate course delivered over three semesters. It is directed at graduates from Geography, Natural Sciences and other related disciplines in the social and natural sciences, and at professionals in the field who are interested in furthering their knowledge of coastal and marine environments.

For more information visit: www.nuig.ie/Geography @SeaShoreNUIG CoastalMarineNUIG

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WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE BACKING BRAVE Public Magazine Allied 78 Irish the Banks, p.l.c. Sector is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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Towards a Sustainable Future In a recent address to the United Nations in New York, the Minister for Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten defended Ireland’s progress towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 but accepted that more needs to be done to meet targets. Responsible for the Government’s implementation of the 17 targets across economic, social and environmental policy, Minister Naughton acknowledged that Ireland faces major challenges, particularly in relation to housing and emissions targets. Other challenges identified by Minister Naughten include a national obesity crisis, meeting national poverty targets, achieving sustainable consumption and production, environmental protection and achieving full gender equality in Irish society. Minister Naughten also said that the Government intended to produce a new international development policy and commit financial support for global climate action later this year, Ireland is ranked 18th out of 156, ahead of the EU average in the latest sustainable development goals index report. However, there were criticisms in relation to Ireland’s performance on climate change actions; protecting waterways, especially oceans, and in maintaining biodiversity. Accepting that urgent action was needed if the goals were to be met, Minister Naughten said that pressures on housing supply, and consequent increasing house prices and rents and the rate of homelessness were one of the country’s most pressing challenges. “We are determined as a Government to increase Ireland’s stock of social housing by 50,000 homes by 2021, with the necessary funding being ringfenced to achieve this.” Project Ireland 2040 will be the driving factor in achieving the sustainable development goals at home, according to Minister Naughten who said Ireland would also continue to support the goals globally, “Ireland is playing catch-up on our obligations in relation to climate change and as a consequence, €22 billion in climate investment was part of the national development plan,” he said. “Project Ireland 2040 also includes a Climate Action Fund in excess of €500 million, which is €126 for every person in our country, making it the biggest per capita fund of its type in the world,” he said. “This will stimulate innovative ideas and deliver concrete projects that will contribute towards Ireland’s climate and energy targets, while also addressing fuel poverty.” He highlighted innovative economic, social and environmental policies which Ireland had adopted, identified Ireland’s strengths in education; health, economic growth, innovation, some environmental issues such as air quality, and in supporting a peaceful and safe society.

The Government would produce a new international development policy which will prioritise ...interventions on gender equality, peace, education, sexual and reproductive health, and on nutrition and sustainable agriculture. It will also commit financial support for global climate action later this year, he added. However, Coalition 2030, an alliance of over 100 Irish civil society organisations and networks expressed concern that Ireland is falling behind on its commitment to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the group published its concerns in a report published as the Irish Government presented its first progress report on the SDGs at the United In its report, Coalition 2030 acknowledges the tremendous role played by the Irish Government in getting global agreement on the SDGs and the progress it has made to date to map progress towards the goals. However, Coalition 2030 warns that there are significant gaps in the Government’s National Implementation Plan for the SDGs launched by Minister Denis Naughten in April. Speaking in New York, Suzanne Keatinge, CEO of Dóchas, the Irish association of non-governmental development organisations said, “Much greater urgency and political leadership will be required if we are to ensure the transformative change that the SDGs envisage by 2030. The Government needs to develop a realistic costing and prioritise targets and outcomes, but also involve all stakeholders, particularly civil society, in that process. Only then will we meet the ambition of the SDGs which is to make sure that the needs of the poorest and most marginalised in society, at home and abroad, are met sustainably and for future generations.” In its independent report, Coalition 2030 calls for greater focus on developing national policies to support the implementation of the SDGs, “Arguably the greatest threat to Ireland’s implementation of the SDGs is a pronounced lack of policy coherence. Greater focus has to be placed on the inter linkages between the 17 Goals which makes them so transformative. This issue is particularly manifest in Ireland’s poor performance in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and failure to stem the downward spiral in Ireland’s biodiversity. As part of the National SDGs Implementation Plan, the government, in consultation with the National Economic and Social Council, should strengthen a whole-of-government approach to the SDGs,” said Michael Ewing from the Environmental Pillar, an advocacy coalition of 29 Irish environmental NGOs.

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Turn the Power Down It is time for dramatic change and the public sector must take the lead in relation to energy efficiency, writes Jim Gannon, Chief Executive, Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland. The time for talking about a realistic future for sustainable energy is over. We are already on the pathway towards a low carbon economy, but the question is will we get there in time. Without a dramatic change in course, we will likely miss our 2020 renewable energy target, probably getting to 13% versus a target of 16%. We are likely to miss our energy efficiency target by a similar amount. Come 2020 the penalty for not hitting this target could be in the order of â&#x201A;Ź100m with the possibility of further penalties year on year after this until we reach those targets. That is the very real and very worrying short-term future. Furthermore, we will soon have sight of our 2030 targets, which are likely to be at least as challenging. Moreover, unlike

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the 2020 targets, the EU will measure our progress in meeting the 2030 targets at regular intervals rather than just at the endpoint. Therefore, from the outset, we will need to meet high levels of performance and sustain them over the duration. I often wonder if these targets mean anything to the vast majority of people in this country. For the government and SEAI, they are necessary drivers of policy and a barometer of the success of our interventions. I suspect for most people however, they are intangible and meaningless and this makes it difficult to engage people in the journey towards a cleaner and healthier environment.

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Public sector leadership

importantly, it contributes to a cleaner energy future for all of us. Of all the groups that can influence change There are ranges of approaches and in Irish society, the Public Sector holds a solutions, which must be tailored to each unique position. As a group, you touch particular organisation’s need. The focus every part of Ireland, every day, through is always where time and effort invested the services you provide. You also bring is likely to have the greatest return. SEAI a value and cohesion that, although has provided support and advice to a sometimes unseen, has a direct bearing not range of public sector bodies over the just on our quality of life, but on how we course of our history to support this type of perceive Ireland to be and our ambitions activity. Indeed, the technical and financial for the Ireland of the future. As a result, challenges are often well understood you have the ability to lead by example and solvable, while the biggest challenge and to influence all of our communities on is often securing senior management the topic of climate change. commitment, while ensuring that service One of the easiest places to show this delivery does not suffer. leadership is in the area of sustainable For some public bodies, energy spend energy. Energy is put to all manner of is so relatively small that it can be hard uses in the Public Sector from offices, to justify the allocation of a specialist hospitals, schools and fire-stations, to resource or even to identify a suitably Jim Gannon, Chief Executive, SEAI public water and lighting services, as qualified person to take on the role. This well as vehicle fleets. This costs the State may not be a problem for a local authority, about €600 million annually, so it is critical but it is certainly a challenge for, say, a small that everyone who uses public services school. However progress is always possible appreciated the scale of energy use and the and examples of success are increasing opportunities to reduce or conserve it. daily. In partnership with the Department The National Energy Efficiency Action of Education and Skills, SEAI has this year Plan sets a target for the public sector to be provided capital and project advisory support 33% more energy efficient by 2020. This is to 10 schools that include higher levels of ahead of the general 20% target for rest of energy performance alongside traditional the economy, recognising that the public summer works. We will be seeking to grow sector can serve as an exemplar from which this programme over the coming years in others can take inspiration. Earlier this collaboration with DES. SEAI and the DES year, the Government also approved the also collaborate on a programme, Energy in Public Sector Energy Efficiency strategy Education, to provide energy management as presented by Minister Denis Naughten support to schools. With help from an SEAI TD. And, on 10 January, 350 public advisor, Scoil Chaitríona Cailíní in Coolock, servants attended SEAI’s first Public Sector Dublin identified 26% electrical saving Conference which placed a collective focus through storage heating management and a on how best the public sector can achieve further 23% saving on gas through zoning its targets and be an exemplar. control improvements. Simply heating only the hall during after-hours events instead of Public sector already the whole school will save €2,500 per year in acting and saving gas consumption. The most common investment Public bodies and government departments opportunities are energy efficient lighting, have made solid progress and are already insulation and efficient heating systems. two thirds of the way to the 2020 target. Investment can be difficult to prioritise Efficiency gains have been made through ahead of service delivery. Conventional the implementation of thousands of wisdom says that investing now will pay diverse projects ranging from structured for itself over time and continue to save energy management, building and facility thereafter. However most public bodies upgrades, changes in transportation, operate with annual budgets and this can and through behavioural changes in impede projects with long implementation organisations. As a result, the public sector timeframes and paybacks. In spite of this, is now saving €154 million on energy annually, avoiding over investments are being justified and made. Dublin Airport half a million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. This directly Authority completed a deep retrofit of the old Aer Lingus Head benefits the exchequer through lower expenditure, and in many Office Building reducing energy consumption by 80%. Galway cases facilitating higher levels of service delivery. But most City Council is saving €40,000 annually having upgraded 400

Conventional

wisdom says

that investing

now will pay for itself over time

and continue to save thereafter.

However most

public bodies operate with

annual budgets

and this can

impede projects with long

implementation

timeframes and

paybacks.

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Public Sector Magazine

There is a huge diversity of energy use in the public sector but in many instances the solutions can be similar and have probably been implemented before by other public bodies. streetlights to LED technology. With SEAI support, the OPW are investing over â&#x201A;Ź3m in energy efficiency measures across central government buildings nationally. LED office lighting is one of the main investment areas, with savings of over 60%. The research into office LED technology and resulting specifications will be shared though SEAI and OPWs networking platforms to all public bodies, and indeed the private sector.

Partnership and networking There is a huge diversity of energy use in the public sector but in many instances the solutions can be similar and have probably been implemented before by other public bodies. SEAI actively facilitates networking activity through regular workshops and an online forum for sharing experiences and learning from others. If you work within a public sector organisation and wish to register, go to http://energylink.seai.ie/. These are powerful mechanisms, particularly for those with limited resources. SEAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership programme is the most comprehensive

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support package available for larger organisations. In a nutshell, public bodies work together with SEAI experts to assess the potential within their organisation, develop and implement annual Energy Management Action Plans by undertaking specific, targeted actions focussed on achieving the 33% target. The 90 members make up 75% of all public sector energy consumption. They have committed serious resources to implementing structured energy management. These actions will typically help them achieve annual savings of 5-10%, which the public body can retain arising from of the publication of the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy. All of us, particularly those in the public sector must play our part in reducing our energy use. 2020 as a deadline is fast approaching so I encourage all public bodies to consider how they can play their part in accelerating the achievement of these targets. For those fully committed to the journey, SEAI is here to assist and support your ambitions. For more information, visit www.seai.ie

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Helping shape Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Energy Future The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is central to delivering a more sustainable energy future for everyone. Our role is to transform the way we all use energy by moving to more efficient and clean sources, and by leading innovation in Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to energy. Working with businesses and society as a whole we can all help create a more sustainable energy future for everyone.

Find out how we can help you at seai.ie

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Our vision is to enable everyone to live in good quality, affordable homes in sustainable communities.

The Housing Agency provides a range of housing-related services and manages some key projects: + Housing Procurement Services + Approved Housing Bodies Services Unit + Lands Development and Management + Mortgage to Rent + Housing Practitioner Training Services + Policy Advice + Research and Analysis + Pyrite Remediation Scheme + Support to Local Authorities + Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies + National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability + Loan Underwriting of Local Authority House Purchase Loans For more information about the Housing Agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, please contact: Housing Agency, 53 Mount Street Upper, Dublin 2 Tel 01 656 4100 | Email info@housingagency.ie 82

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www.housingagency.ie

CONSTRUCTION

2018

LOW-COST TENDERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP

INSOLVENCIES

SOCIAL HOUSING

BUILDING FLOOD DEFENCES

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Funding Social Housing Eoghan O’Neill, Senior Manager, AIB Corporate Banking pays tribute to Ireland’s voluntary housing bodies and outlines some of the key funding initiatives which AIB has launched in order to ramp up delivery of social housing across the country.

L – R Catriona Bourke, Eoghan O’Neill & Allan Barrett – AIB Corporate Banking Social Housing Sector Team AIB Corporate Banking is actively engaged with the Irish Social Housing sector. We continually look for ways to support the delivery of housing with a key focus of helping those that have a funding requirement. My team & I have been fortunate to work with some of the key operators in this sector over recent years and it is clear that the Approved Housing Bodies have evolved into very professional ‘not for profit’ organisations with excellent management teams and staff. In meeting with the various Approved Housing Bodies and the advisors in the sector we are always impressed by their professionalism and their strong desire to deliver housing for those most in need. AIB Corporate Banking currently offer a long term loan with the amortisation matching the term of the main revenue source e.g. the term of the Payment and Availability in the general social housing model or the term of the Local Authority Rental Agreement in the recently launched Enhanced Long Term Social Housing Lease program. This makes for a straightforward transaction and gives the Approved Housing Body a schedule of repayments similar to those currently provided by the Housing Finance Agency. We will typically only look for security over the

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assets being acquired and the associated revenue streams and will not require any further security. We will not look to restrict the Housing Body’s activity once the property being funded is essentially protected or ‘ring fenced’ from any potential negative impact from other activities. We can also provide funding to a newly incorporated special purpose Approved Housing Body or a new Investment Company that is being established for a specific project once that new entity can demonstrate the property management and tenant management functions will be professionally delivered, e.g. there may be a commercial contract with the existing Approved Housing Body to provide certain necessary services to the newly established Project or Special Purpose Vehicle. In summary, we can work with the customer to deliver for them regardless of the preferred approach to a transaction. As part of the wider AIB Group we have also brought together a number of divisions within the AIB Group to provide a solutions to many of the challenges facing those in the sector, e.g. the AIB Real Estate Finance team can provide Construction Finance, this division recently launched a €100m Social Housing Development fund to assist experienced developers deliver

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We will typically only look for security over the assets being acquired and the associated revenue streams and will not require any further security. We will not look to restrict the Housing Body’s activity once the property being funded is essentially protected or ‘ring fenced’ from any potential negative impact from other activities. newly built stock to the larger Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in Ireland, which is a key element of the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland plans. My team and I also work closely with the AIB Corporate Finance Team which can provide advice on raising finance and investment and indeed mergers or acquisitions within the industry, AIB’s Treasury Team can support by providing advice on Ireland’s overall economic outlook in addition to providing solutions to interest rate volatility risk. The historic funding of the Irish Social Housing sector has been predominantly by way of government grant funding or in more recent years through long term loan finance from the Housing Finance Agency. With the recent Eurostat opinion delivered to the Central Statistics Office in April this year pointing to the ‘government body’ classification of Ireland’s largest Approved Housing Bodies there may be some ongoing consideration by the sector as to how the government and the Approved Housing Bodies working together with the Banks can resolve the Eurostat and CSO opinion and ultimately bring about a wider gap between the government and the key players in the Sector. A potential solution being considered by the sector is the establishment of special purpose vehicles by the Approved Housing Bodies in which they can acquire and fund assets using private and commercial Bank finance. Whilst there are numerous Approved Housing Bodies operating in Ireland, over the past decade the Irish Social Housing sector has now evolved into three key groups being Tier 1, Tier 2 & Tier 3. It may be the case that the sector could avail of better cost efficiencies by introducing some consolidation. We are aware of some considerations being given by smaller Housing Bodies to the possibility of transferring housing and tenants to larger Housing Bodies to make for a more efficient operating model but there may, in time, be some increase in the levels of consolidation

Eoghan O’Neill, Senior Manager, Corporate Banking AIB going forward. Overall, the outcome could potentially be greater purchasing power and greater operational efficiencies, e.g. a larger Housing Body will likely be able to negotiate a lower purchase price on housing based on volume than a Housing Body looking to acquire a small group of housing units, similarly outsourcing of property maintenance and tenant management can be disproportionate if the Housing Body does not have scale. We have worked on projects involving construction and refurbishment of housing and most recently I believe AIB Corporate Banking was one of the first funders to provide long term debt funding to facilitate the purchase of housing from the Housing Agency under its €70m revolving fund. We were delighted to be able to work with Túath Housing Association to fund the acquisition of up to 192 social homes in every County and District in Ireland. This transaction supported Rebuilding Ireland’s vacant homes initiative whereby Túath purchased homes from the Housing Agency and let them to families on Local Authority housing waiting lists. I believe that we can provide a commercial and very swift funding solution which allows the client flexibility to carry out its day to day role. My team is currently working on four projects ranging from Mortgage to Rent to a mixed Private and Social Housing scheme where the social housing element is the majority of the project. In addition, we are working with colleagues in the AIB Group on the Irish Social Housing PPP program. Overall we wish to increase our involvement in the sector and we welcome all opportunities to help the Approved Housing Bodies and Investors in the sector to deliver on their key growth objectives. For more information contact Eoghan O’Neill, Sector Head, Social Housing, AIB Corporate Banking; eoghan.t.o’neill@aib.ie

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New Horizons for Circle VHA From humble beginnings Circle Voluntary Housing has been a stalwart in the provision of housing. Circle VHA is a Tier 3 Housing Association, and, across its Housing Management and Estate Management services, presently manages more than 1,700 homes. At the centre of Circle is its tenants. A building is just property, but a home is so much more. This belief of Circle staff is exhibited in the award presented by The Chartered Institute of Housing aptly titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;More Than Bricks and Mortarâ&#x20AC;? which Circle VHA was presented with in February 2018. Circle staff strive continuously to ensure its tenants and future tenants currently on local authority housing lists are provided with high quality housing that will be homes to them, in communities that they can settle and become immersed in. The development of communities is integral in ensuring that people feel involved in where they live and that their needs are reflected in their environment. The staff of Circle are innovative in their approach from development stage right through to ongoing tenancy participation programmes actively encouraging a community focus. Measurable benefits for tenants and a community as a whole ensures possibilities in overcoming social problems., The staff of Circle VHA believe in the core values of the organisation which leads to respectful and transparent partnerships that have benefited all. Since its foundation 15 years ago, Circle Voluntary Housing Association (VHA) has accommodated people in need of homes in the Greater Dublin Area. Circle VHA delivers exceptional customer service to all stakeholders, and its tenant satisfaction ratings have been consistently more than 90% for the last ten years. Circle currently operates in the Dublin and Kildare areas and intends on expanding its operational housing provision beyond these areas. Circle staff are actively seeking to make further strategic partnerships and advance initiatives with all local authorities and housing providers, through portfolio acquisition, turnkey development from housing providers, sites with direct development potential, new and unfinished homes disposals, Part V strategic partnerships with housing providers, and strategic partnerships with Tier 1 and 2 Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). In addition, the organisation is seeking strategic partnerships with housing providers under the Enhanced Long-Term Social Housing Leasing initiative. Circle uniquely offers an Estate Management Service to not only local authorities and developers but to Owner Management Companies (OMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s). Circle VHA is a licensed property services provider with the PSRA (License number 002408) and will act as a management agent. Circle VHA

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has in-house expertise in providing management agent services including company secretary, property and facilities management, service charge collection, insurance management and owner/resident liaison. Circle in the last 6 months has, under the direction of its new CEO, John Hannigan who has been involved in the housing sector for many years, committed to extending their unique brand across more counties of Ireland. In order to support the delivery of the Rebuilding Ireland Programme, Circle intends to deliver an additional 1,100 homes by the end of 2020. The attention to detail that Circle exhibits will ensure that all projects undertaken can benefit from its people first approach.

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Circle VHA delivers exceptional customer service to all stakeholders, and its tenant satisfaction ratings have been consistently more than 90% for the last ten years. John with the support of an innovative and progressive Board has been instrumental in taking the steps required by Circle in order to actively position themselves to fully support fully the delivery of the Rebuilding Ireland Programme. Pat Costello as the Head of Development supported by his colleagues in the Senior Management Team has instigated a programme of recruitment in order to expand the department to achieve the growth envisioned. The Team assembled are a multi-disciplinary team of housing and property professionals, who have many years’ experience in the delivery of social housing and other commercial developments through various mechanisms and funding streams. The team will assist with the delivery of an additional 1,100 homes by the end of 2020. They are focused on the values of the organisation with a clear vision, a dynamic attitude and an agenda firmly focused on addressing the housing crisis within all counties by turning opportunity into homes for the people of Ireland. For more information visit www.circlevha.ie; email developmentteam@ circlevha.ie or you can speak to one of the team at 01-4072110. Follow us on twitter @CircleVHA.

CIRCLE VHA DEVELOPMENT TEAM Pat Costelloe, Head of Development, has a 25-year career in construction and property. He previously worked as Group Property Manager for the Rehab Group and as Development Manager, and a Director with NewGrove Housing Association Ltd. He has extensive project development, acquisition and leasing experience, along with portfolio management experience. A chartered surveyor by profession he is a member of the SCSI and RICS. Colm Lundy, Senior Team Lead, has over 25 years’ experience in the Irish real estate market. He has a proven track record of delivery in the development sector having previously led the entry of German retail multiple Lidl’s expansion into Ireland overseeing a €750m capital spend in the process. A chartered surveyor by profession he’s a member of the SCSI and RICS. John Mulhall, Senior Officer, has over six years’ experience in the delivery of social housing. He has previously worked for Oaklee Housing and brings a wide range of knowledge on the acquisition and construction of developments using the Capital Advance Leasing Facility, Capital Assistance Scheme and Long Term Leasing. Caitríona Slane, Officer, holds an MSc in Planning and Property Development and previously worked in Western Australia in the planning and surveying sector. Prior to joining the Circle VHA team in August 2017, she worked with Clanmil Housing in Belfast as Development Officer. David Linehan, Officer, has a background in estate agency/ auctioneering, having worked as a senior sales/letting negotiator for a number of years within Dublin and countrywide. David has extensive knowledge of the Dublin and North Kildare property market; he was previously employed by O’Dwyer English Auctioneers, and holds IPAV membership with a full PSRA license. Eva Moraliyska, Team Intern, has diverse real estate and project management experience, gained in Bulgaria. Previously she managed her own real estate company for nine years and worked in large-scale real estate development and project management for three years.

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Making a difference by providing quality homes for people in housing need.

Block B, The Waterways Ashtown.

Circle VHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to deliver quality homes and services in partnership with our tenants and local services to create sustainable communities. Circle VHA has approved status from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and is a member of the Irish Council for Social Housing. Circle VHA is regulated under the Property SRA. Circle Voluntary Housing Association, 32-34 Castle Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 407 2110 info@circlevha.ie 90

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Fighting Homelessness A government report on homelessness which revealed that a that a significant number of people had turned down offers of social housing in 2017 has been criticised by charities representing the homeless. According to the report prepared by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) 112 offers of permanent social housing were turned down in 2017. One of the reasons cited most frequently for refusing the offer of a house was that it wasn’t close to schools or located in a satisfactory area. The DRHE report also found that 343 families were “reluctant” to consider being accommodated under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme and ended up in hotels or B&Bs due to difficulties getting accommodation in the private rental sector. Under the HAP scheme, households source their own accommodation in the private sector and receive financial assistance to meet the rent. However, in March of this year just 12 families out of 750 exited homelessness through HAP, a figure which it described as “extremely low”. Overall the number of homeless families rose by 17% last year and there are currently some 10,000 homeless people in Ireland. However, the report confirms that the rate of increase of families accessing emergency accommodation slowed last year when compared to previous years. The number of families accessing emergency accommodation across the State rose by 90% and 55% in 2015 and 2016 respectively but by last year the rate of increase had slowed to 17%. The situation also appears to be stabilising in Dublin where the homelessness crisis has been most pronounced. The number of families accessing emergency accommodation in Dublin rose by 106% and 51% in 2015 and 2016 respectively but by last year, the rate of increase had slowed to 9%;. With the introduction of family hubs, families are also spending less time in emergency accommodation before exiting into tenancies. Of the families who entered emergency accommodation in 2016, 45% of these have successfully exited emergency accommodation within six months. In addition, the number of people sleeping rough has fallen by 40% . At present the number of homeless people residing in state-funded emergency accommodation (commonly referred to as the homeless figures) is published monthly by the Housing Department. The DRHE report recommends that this should be changed to quarterly reporting, a position which is supported by the Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy. As a reason, it states that trends in people presenting would be more visible; there would be a change for greater analysis; and a more “concerted focus” could be put on patterns in homelessness Meanwhile, a separate report from the Homelessness Inter-Agency Group - which was established following the

first Housing Summit in September of 2017, to better coordinate state-led supports to those currently in emergency accommodation - queries whether it is appropriate to continue to provide emergency accommodation to households who are unwilling to consider HAP. Homeless charity Focus Ireland said both reports contained some elements which were welcome but criticised proposals to stop monthly reporting of homeless figures as “a communications strategy for bad news”. Director of advocacy Mike Allen also said that one of the reports “seeks to lay the blame for homelessness on the people who experience it”. “Both these Government reports propose punishing people who don’t take up HAP. Neither looks at what could be done to improve it! Both contain some useful things but the punitive proposals undermine them. Attack homelessness not homeless people.” He also criticised the recommendation to publish homeless figures on quarterly rather than a monthly basis. “Most research reports include a recommendation for ‘more data and more research’, this must be the first to make the strange claim that ‘greater analysis of trends’ would be facilitated by having less data published less frequently,” he said. Minister Eoghan Murphy says the report, and another from the Inter-Agency Group on Homelessness indicates progress is being made, but “concerns and issues” need to be addressed. “Of course the value of this report is that it also highlights some concerns and issues that need to be addressed so that we can provide the right supports and interventions to those who need them, he said. “Clearly, new actions will be needed to make sure that we can find sustainable and successful exits from emergency accommodation for families, individuals, those with long-term support needs, and those whose status in Ireland is uncertain.”

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Housing First Kerry Brennan, Cork Simon’s Head of Housing talks to Conor Haugh about ‘Housing First’, an approach to homelessness which provides a more comprehensive, holistic – and ultimately more successful approach to its clients.

Cork Simon Community was founded in 1971 to support and enable people experiencing homelessness, and to alleviate the stigma, stresses, and exclusions that homelessness entails. The charity does this through organising emergency shelter accommodation, outreach services, housing and housing support, volunteer programs, and a range of other specialist support services. Kerry Brennan, Cork Simon’s Head of Housing, has been with the charity since 2000. In recent years she has seen the twin challenges of rising homelessness and housing shortages emerging. She has also seen the full effect of an innovative “Housing First” philosophy that has been adopted by Cork Simon since 2013. Cork Simon, like all Simon Communities, was founded by volunteers, and volunteerism remains an integral part of its operating model. “We have many part-time volunteers who help operate our services and raise funds,” says Brennan. “The charity also recruits twenty-two full-time volunteers annually from all over the world, including Europe, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, and North America.” Brennan herself arrived from America as a volunteer in 2000 and spent the next decade working with Cork Simon’s

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emergency shelter and outreach programs, before eventually taking charge of their housing program.

The Shift to Housing First “We’ve seen an interesting change in North America and Europe over the last two decades regarding policies towards homelessness,” Brennan divulges. “We’ve moved from the traditional ‘staircase’ approach to a ‘Housing First’ model. The staircase system required a homeless person to meet certain conditions before becoming eligible for placement in housing. These could include prolonged engagement in certain services and an exhibition that the applicant was fairly stable or ‘housing-ready’. “ The expectation was that people move from street-based services to shelter-beds, and that accompanying issues like poor mental health or addiction be somewhat resolved. Only then might an applicant be offered a transitional apartment. If that went well, they could eventually be offered a rental apartment of their own”, continues Brennan. Few people ever progressed that far. “What seems obvious

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“The council is trying to be proactive but, unfortunately, the increases in market rental prices are fast outpacing the supports in place. The private rental market is just Sam Tsemberis

not an accessible

now, in hindsight,” Brennan says, “is that the most difficult place in the world to get sober, or stable, or address mental health issues is out on the street or in an emergency shelter.” Research conducted in New York in the 1990s was to offer an alternative approach. Clinical psychologist Dr Sam Tsemberis posited that targeting the most vulnerable, longer-term, and “unstable” homeless for rehousing would yield more successful results. He and his team conducted a four-year long, randomized, controlled trial comparing the Housing First model (then known as Pathways to Housing) to the staircase model that prevailed in America at the time. The results were categoric, with Housing First proving a more successful and cost-effective approach over the entire duration of the study. Further research by Randall Kuhn and Dennis Culhane of the University of Pennsylvania showed that although the chronically homeless made up only 10 percent of the total homeless in New York and Philadelphia, they accounted for 50 percent of occupied shelter beds. “This study was the catalyst for Housing First going from a niche project in New York to being national policy,” Brennan says. “Its results have been replicated several times across the world and we’ve looked at our own figures at Cork Simon and come to similar conclusions.” “The logical thing to do, then, is prioritise this group who have traditionally been thought of as not housing-ready. For someone dealing with substance abuse issues or erratic mental health, a secure, stable, and dignified place to live is a vital base from which they can begin to address those issues. If you can house the most vulnerable, long-term homeless people in this way, you free up a disproportionate amount of resources.” Housing First was officially adopted by Cork Simon in 2013, the same year as the Irish government released a statement affirming the approach as national policy. Under the Housing First model, clients are offered support

route out of

homelessness in Ireland at the

moment,” Brennan says.

Kerry Brennan to sustain their housing and improve their health and well-being, at a frequency and intensity largely determined by them. Cork Simon assigns a key worker to each case to liaise with landlords and other service workers. “That way a certain housing situation doesn’t work out, the supportive relationship is not lost ,” says Brennan If someone chooses not to engage in support services but continues to meet the conditions of the lease, the lease is not lost.”

Housing Shortages and Rising Homelessness The new policy has not been executed without challenges. The primary issue has been the nationwide housing shortage. “It’s frustrating,” Brennan confesses, “to know that the method works and that our team has the necessary skills, but that because of the wider housing crisis we can implement it for far fewer people than we would like.” For someone experiencing long-term homelessness, transitioning to housing can be challenging for many reasons. The stigma attached to homelessness, a lack of landlord references, and a lack of experience in renting norms are all obstacles that are exacerbated by a competitive landlords’ market. Prospective renters without these issues are often considered more appealing candidates for the limited number of properties. As well as creating more competition, the housing shortage also means rising rent prices. Cork City Council, which administers the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), provides rental supplements to those in need, but only on properties rented to a maximum of €550 per month. They allow for a 20 percent increase on that upper limit for those experiencing homelessness, bringing the figure to €660. However, according to property website Daft.ie’s 2018 first quarter report, average rental price for a one-bedroom

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apartment in Cork City now stand at €913 per month. “The council is trying to be proactive but, unfortunately, the increases in market rental prices are fast outpacing the supports in place. The private rental market is just not an accessible route out of homelessness in Ireland at the moment,” Brennan says. A second route out of homelessness is through government social housing initiatives. “The building of Social Housing has slowed down over the last decade or so,” Brennan shares. According to the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government, the nine years between 2000 and 2008 saw 11,126 completions of social housing units by Cork City Council. The following nine years saw just 2,481 completions, a 78 percent drop. “Almost everyone in our emergency shelter is on the waiting list for social housing but they can be on there for years; up to a decade in some cases,” says Brennan. This makes housing found with assistance from charities like Cork Simon Community the most realistic escape from homelessness for many people. The shortage of housing is coupled with an increase in homelessness in the southwest. In Cork, in June 2016, 215 adults were in emergency accommodation. By June 2018, that number had risen to 317. In the wider southwest, over the same period, the increase was from 329 adults to 685. In just the last year, the number of families in emergency accommodation in the southwest has increased from fifty-four to ninety-three, a figure currently including 257 children.

Positive Steps There have been positive developments too. At the end of 2015, Cork City council provided much-needed resources to expand the Housing First service. This allowed Cork Simon to employ two more case managers in addition to the previous five, and meant that service could be extended to a further 30 cases. Cork Simon has created 109 tenancies since adopting the

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Housing First approach in 2013, either directly or by brokering through other Approved Housing Bodies, Cork City Council, or private rentals. 12 tenancies have been negotiated through an innovative approach whereby Cork Simon rents from private landlords with the understanding that the property will be sub-let to those leaving emergency accommodation. In these cases Cork Simon takes ultimate responsibility for timely rent payments and maintenance of the property. This strategy assuages many of the concerns that private landlords have about renting to tenants leaving homelessness. Of the 101 people housed since 2013, 88 of them have not returned to emergency homeless services. In 2015, Sam Tsemberis himself was invited by Cork Simon to observe their operations, provide input to their strategies, and train staff members. “He affirmed that we were working consistently with the Housing First approach and made recommendations that we have since implemented,” Brennan recalls

The Future “In the short-term, the focus will be on securing homes for the project. The big worry is that we’ve seen an increase in the users of emergency accommodation due to increasing homelessness,” continues Brennan. “There’s a risk that, if things don’t turn around, people might say that the Housing First policy doesn’t work. That’s frustrating, because we know that, when the housing is there, it does. Our medium-term goal must be securing and leveraging housing to ensure that there’s an adequate amount available to those who need it.” “At the moment, elements of the old staircase model are still employed,” says Brennan. “We still have our emergency shelters, outreach centres, and high support housing, but our goal is to develop our Housing First approach and reduce our use of other models. A stable home is a basic human need. Housing First is the future.”

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Cork Simon Community

believing in people since 1971

Working to a Housing First approach since 2013. www.corksimon.ie the Public Sector Magazine

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Age Friendly Housing Government supports new housing solutions for older people with €15 million funding for prototype project in Inchicore

The Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Damien English, recently announced funding of €15 million for a ‘Housing with Support’ scheme for older people in Inchicore in Dublin. This announcement was made by the Minister at the launch of the report and evaluation of Phase 1 of this pathfinder project; one of only two projects singled out in Rebuilding Ireland focused on meeting older people’s housing with support needs. Phase 1 covers the stage from the initial concept to the awarding of the development of this housing project to Circle

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Voluntary Housing Association and ALONE Housing. The overall aim of the Inchicore project is to develop a new model of housing for older people where the key components of the physical environment and supports are provided onsite, integrated into the community and designed with older people at the centre. Speaking at the launch, Minister English said: “Part of the St. Michael’s Estate site in Inchicore has been identified as a “Housing with Support” pilot model under Rebuilding Ireland

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At the launch of the evaluation report and toolkit: (L-R) Michael Carey, Chair Housing Agency, Minister Damien English, TD, Celine Reilly, Dublin City Council and David Silke, Housing Agency. and will deliver 52 homes, due for completion in 2020. The ‘Housing with Support’ model is intended to set a new standard for the future of housing provision for older people and to act as an exemplar for others to follow. The project has been approved for funding of €14,934,528 under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme, with a contribution of €450,000 from the HSE/Department of Health towards additional communal facilities for the residents.” This new model of housing with care requires collaborative, cross-sectoral and cross-departmental working and requires housing, social and care supports to come together within a single scheme. An innovative funding model has been agreed for the scheme, with higher specification homes of 1.5-unit size funded by the Department of Housing, multi-annual funding for care funded by the HSE/the Department of Health and joint funding of extra communal facilities. The project seeks to explore how such schemes can provide efficiencies in the delivery of home care supports within a defined location, thus providing economies of scale. Through the process of capturing the learning at each phase of the project and developing a toolkit, it is hoped that this model could be replicated. This is a collaborative partnership between Dublin City Council, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the HSE, the Department of Health, the Irish Council for Social Housing and Dublin Age Friendly City. Circle Voluntary Housing Association and ALONE Housing have been appointed to develop and manage the housing. The Housing Agency was delighted to be involved in this pathfinder project. On behalf of Dublin City Council and the ‘Housing with Support’ Steering Group, the Housing Agency

commissioned and managed the research evaluation and developed the toolkit for this phase. The Housing Agency sees the inclusion of an evaluation process as critical to the development of this project, whilst also ensuring that the accumulated learning can be shared. The Housing Agency’s vision is to enable everyone to live in good quality, affordable homes in sustainable communities. In Ireland, as more people live longer lives, ensuring the continued quality of life for our older population will involve consideration of key housing principles to ensure a mixture of different types of homes are designed to be readily adaptable, that these homes are located in ‘Age Friendly’ environments and that they provide choice and options for people to continue to live independently for as long as possible. To download a copy of the full evaluation report, summary or toolkit, go to: www.housingagency.ie or www.dublincity.ie. To talk to somebody about the research, contact Roslyn Molloy at the Housing Agency: roslyn.molloy@housingagency.ie

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New Homes for 67 Families Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Damien English officially opened Clúid Housing’s latest development in Ashbourne, Co. Meath

economy and an environment of quality.” Milltown Meadows is a mix of two, three and four bed houses, with a very high spec finish, energy efficient heating Minister Damien English and Brian O’Gorman, Chief Executive, Clúid Housing. and an A-rated BER. The location is excellent and gives easy access to the city 67 families have received keys to their brand new homes in as well as a range of local services. Milltown Meadows, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. They had been Clúid’s New Business Director Fiona Cormican said: waiting seven years on average on the social housing waiting “Currently Clúid has 236 homes in Co. Meath. We have a list. The Minister of State at the Department of Housing, further 100 homes in the development pipeline to be delivered Planning and Local Government, Damien English, T.D. in 2018 and 2019 and we are continually looking for new welcomed the new residents, which include seven Syrian opportunities to develop further in the county and beyond. We families. want to partner with developers and local authorities to deliver After only 15 months in construction, Clúid Housing, in 2,500 units nationwide over three years.” partnership with Glenveagh Properties and Meath County Justin Bickle, Co-Founder and CEO of Glenveagh Properties Council, has delivered a brand new estate which brings much PLC said that the company was honoured to have partnered needed affordable housing to the area. The surrounding area is with Clúid on this development: “Our involvement with this predominantly privately owned residential housing. Little or project began through our predecessor business Bridgedale no social housing has been built in Ashbourne for over 15 years. which became part of Glenveagh at our IPO. We are delighted This has left significant demand for good quality affordable to have partnered with Clúid in Ashbourne and hope that all housing. There are currently 3,779 households on Meath County the families who have taken up residence in this development Council’s housing waiting list. will enjoy many wonderful years here. Projects such as this can Speaking ahead of the launch, Minister English said: “The play an important role in delivering more housing and we look provision of high-quality housing supports to help individuals forward to further co-operation with Clúid in the future.” and families meet their housing need across all tenures is one Clúid funded the scheme using a government loan of 24% of the key objectives of Rebuilding Ireland An Action Plan for of the total purchase price to leverage a larger bank loan from Housing and Homelessness. The delivery of these much needed the Housing Finance Agency. Clúid will repay those loans using homes in Milltown Meadows, Ashbourne is a tangible example the rent paid by tenants (which is always affordable) and an of the importance of partnerships between Approved Housing availability payment from the Department of Housing, Planning Bodies, such as Clúid Housing Association, the local authority, in and Local Government. this case Meath County Council, and a developer in getting homes built; furthermore, the delivery of these homes demonstrates this Clúid Housing is the largest housing association in Ireland, delivering over Government’s commitment to that objective. Developments such as 6,500 high quality, affordable homes to people in housing need all over Milltown Meadows will anchor strong communities, a performing Ireland. Housing associations are independent, not-for-profit charities.

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Oaklee Housing Established in 2000, Oaklee Housing provides of customer-focused housing and support services and has played an important role in helping to tackle homelessness and disadvantaged citizens

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Oaklee Housing is one of Ireland’s most ambitious approved housing bodies, providing high quality accommodation and customer-focused property services. Established in 2000, we have rapidly grown our presence across the country delivering high quality modern homes for families, older people, mature singles and people with a range of disabilities. Oaklee Housing is part of the Choice Group which includes Northern Ireland’s largest housing association, Choice Housing Ireland Ltd. Its key focus is on delivering more homes, better services and stronger, inclusive communities. The last year has seen increased pressure on the housing sector across Ireland with the demand for new social and affordable homes exceeding supply, according to Oonagh Todd, corporate services officer, Oaklee Housing “We recognise the important role that Oaklee Housing must undertake to relieve housing pressures and homelessness through delivering more housing efficiently to meet a variety of housing need,” she says. “Recognising that the housing crisis in Ireland cannot be tackled by just one organisation, Oaklee Housing are working hard to strengthen our relationships with voluntary and statutory agencies to maximise our efforts.” For further information contact Oaklee Housing: 132 James Street, Dublin D08 PK25 Tel: 01 - 400 2650 or log onto www .oaklee.ie

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Raise the Barriers A sophisticated flood forecasting system is a key element of the new 10-year €1 billion flood risk management plan which is funding 118 flood relief schemes to tackle the calamitous effects of recent flooding.

The first €257m tranche of a new 10-year €1 billion flood risk management plan which will fund 50 new flood relief schemes was launched in Athlone recently by Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran The plan was developed following a review of 300 floodprone sites as part of the OPS’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Programme (CFRAM) study, which began in 2012. Mapping carried out in some of the areas worst affected by the floods in the last decade revealed 34,500 properties at risk of flooding and 50 new schemes will now proceed immediately to design stage in order to alleviate the threat. Detailed engineering analysis, assessment and extensive public consultation was undertaken for the 300 communities identified as being most likely to be impacted by future flooding(including 90 coastal areas). The CFRAM Programme studied 80% of properties at risk from the primary cause of flooding in areas that house almost two thirds of our

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population. While the Programme assessed flood risk in all our large urban areas, approximately one quarter of communities assessed had populations of less than 500 people and half had less than 2,000 people A number of schemes have been prioritised including a €31 million project to help protect 768 houses in Tralee and a further €8.5m to secure 221 homes in Ballinasloe, Co Galway. In addition, €56m has been earmarked for the design and construction of a scheme in Limerick city where 890 houses are affected while a €40m investment has been committed to the Dundalk/Blackrock South scheme, where 1,737 houses have been deemed to be at risk. The new schemes in addition to ongoing projects will protect most of the properties deemed to be at risk of flooding, according to Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran “Progressing these initial 50 new flood relief schemes, together with those 75 schemes already complete and underway,

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Minister Moran said he was prepared to meet and work with local authorities on flood prevention measures and he specifically mentioned areas such as Portumna and Carrick on Shannon will protect 80% of the 34,500 properties assessed at having a 1% chance of experiencing a significant flood event in any year,” the Minister said. “The Flood Risk Management Plans allow the Government to build on significant investment on flood defence schemes, since 1995, which has delivered 42 major flood relief schemes around the country. These schemes successfully provide protection to 9,500 properties and the economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided are estimated at €1.9 billion. There are currently also 9 major schemes under construction and a further 24 at design/development which together will provide protection to a further 12,000 properties. This investment has also supported completion of 500 localised flood relief schemes by local authorities under the Minor Works Scheme protecting 6,500 properties. Two-thirds of these are protecting properties outside of the CFRAM study areas. The Minor Works Scheme will continue to ensure that local flood problems continue to be identified and resolved, in tandem with addressing the flood risk in large urban areas. I can give my assurance that sufficient funding will be available within the 10 year capital envelope to meet all eligible applications from local authorities to progress with viable minor flood works”. The Minister confirmed that €14m made will be made immediately available to 19 local authorities to lead on delivery of 31 of these schemes. The 50 schemes which are due to go to the design stage immediately, includes five major schemes, each costing more than €15 million, 14 schemes each between €1 and €15 million and 31 schemes across 19 local authority areas each costing less than €1 million. Acknowledging that not all areas that may have had flooding problems have been selected for schemes, Minister Moran said he was prepared to meet and work with local authorities on flood prevention measures and he specifically mentioned areas such as Portumna and Carrick on Shannon. In relation to concerns that hundreds of propertyowners may find themselves in areas that are now effectively designated as at risk of flooding for the first time in places such

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran

as Dundalk, Mr Moran said he was due to meet with insurance companies shortly and also intended to hold discussions about areas where insurance cover is still not available, despite the fact that 42 major schemes have already been completed. “We are working closely with the insurance companies and we have a memorandum of understanding. Where we do have flood walls we have now up to 80 per cent of insurance covering those people,” he said. The plan has been broadly welcomed by groups supporting communities at risk of flooding who have warned that difficulty re-insuring is hindering economic development in affected towns such as Fermoy, Clonakilty, Clonmel and Skibbereen. Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar who attended the launch of the Flood Risk Management Plan in Athlone paid tribute to the OPW, local authorities, communities and all those organisations who worked together to develop the 10-year strategy. He said that the national flood forecasting service will help guide the national response to flood events which he said can have a severe impact on affected communities and also result in huge economic costs. “Flooding can have a devastating impact on families, communities and businesses. If your home or business is badly damaged or destroyed by flooding, the emotional and financial impact is immense. It also has a huge cost to the economy,” he stated. “Not so long ago these were rare events which we talked about for decades afterwards but they are becoming more frequent. It is now commonplace to hear about a once-in-a-century event. It seems to happen almost every couple of months.” Flooding is currently estimated to cost the economy almost €200 million a year and experts warn that we could be facing an annual bill of €1,000 million a year, if we do not take the appropriate protective measures. A new website, www.floodinfo.ie has also been launched where people can view the community risk and measures in place, underway and now proposed to tackle flood risk in these 300 areas, and nationally. This map and plan viewer website is another important resource, to support planning, emergency response

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Safety First Setting the Standard - Health and Safety in the Public Sector

Pictured at the launch of I.S. ISO 45001, a major new global health and safety standard for organisations, are (L-R) Health & Safety Manager, Collen Construction, Joe O’Dwyer ;NSAI Senior Auditor, Maria McKeown; NSAI Head of Business Excellence, Fergal O’Byrne; Collen Construction Director, David Lee; and Quality & Environmental Manager, Collen Construction, Rebecca Reilly Health and safety in the workplace is the number one concern of most employers, yet despite increased awareness and advancements in legislation, injuries and deaths still occur. Recent figures from the Health and Safety Authority show that 501 people died in workplace accidents in Ireland since 2008, 14 of which occurred in the public administration and defence sector. Last year alone, there were 47 fatal accidents across all sectors. The main legislation providing for the health and safety of people in the workplace are the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Acts 2005 and 2010, which cover the rights and obligations of both employers and employees and provide for substantial fines and penalties for breaches. Employers are required, among other things, to provide and maintain a safe workplace which uses safe equipment and prevent risks from exposure to physical agents, noise and vibration. On the other hand, employees are expected to take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of themselves and of other people in the workplace and not to engage in improper behaviour that will endanger themselves or others. While the number of workplace-related injuries and deaths in Ireland has fallen over the past two decades, from

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3.9 to 2.5 per 100,000 workers, it’s clear that more can be done. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is part of a global effort to help improve the situation. Last month, the agency published a major new global health and safety standard for organisations, which sets the minimum standard of practice to protect employees worldwide. The standard is based on the labour standards, conventions, and guidelines of the International Labour Organisation, the existing OHSAS 18001 document, and national standards. Known as I.S. ISO 45001, the new standard is the first one to cover occupational health and safety management systems and gives organisations a single set of requirements to increase safety, reduce workplace risks and enhance health and wellbeing at work. “This much-anticipated standard was developed over several months with the input of experts from more than 70 countries,” said NSAI Chief Executive, Geraldine Larkin, “I.S. ISO 45001 is set to transform workplace practices globally and I am extremely proud that NSAI is able to offer it to Irish organisations from day one.” “Contrary to popular belief, ISO management systems standards offer the same benefits to the public sector as they

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do to the private sector; they can be used by any organisation, including service providers such as hospitals, banks or universities. By bringing a methodical and harmonised approach, complex concepts such as quality management are defined in a way that is easy to grasp and implement. But more than this, standards have proven potential to save money through more efficient use of resources and, in the case of I.S. ISO 45001, even save lives.” More than fifty Irish companies, including a Dublin-headquartered construction firm and a Limerick consultancy service, will be among the first organisations in the world to adopt the new standard over the coming weeks. “Globally, more than 2.78 million fatal accidents occur at work yearly, with some 374 million incidents of non-fatal work-related injuries and illnesses,” said NSAI’s Head of Business Excellence, Fergal O’Byrne., “Tthis paints a sober picture of the modern workplace – one where workers can suffer serious consequences as a result of simply doing their job. The beauty of I.S. ISO 45001 is that it’s applicable to all organisations, regardless of size, industry or nature of business. I would encourage Irish organisations to find out more from NSAI.” Among the first companies in the world to achieve certification to I.S. ISO 45001 will be Collen Construction. The family-owned company was established in 1810, and provides commercial, residential, industrial, design and building services across multiple sectors. Collen Construction maintains that I.S. ISO 45001 certification will help position it for further expansion. “Collen Construction is well-placed for growth, and we want to ensure our systems both in Ireland and Europe are best in class. As safety is an integral part of the company’s daily operations, we recognise the importance of continuous improvement,” said Collen Construction Managing Director, Tommy Drumm., “Tthe implementation of the new I.S. ISO 45001 aligns with our objective to ensure our systems are worldclass and accreditation to the first international safety standard would recognise Collen as leaders in achieving an international benchmark.” Collen’s Commercial Director, Donal Hennessy said the negative financial consequences of failing to manage health & safety correctly would be too great for a company like theirs:, “Risk management is an essential aspect of running any business. In construction, safety poses the most significant financial exposure for companies operating in the industry. A construction site is a high-risk environment every day and no-one working in construction should ever forget that. It’s the reason why there are safety policies and procedures to identify hazards specific to the task with the aim of either eliminating or mitigating them. Failing to lead safety so that the risk it poses to our businesses is minimised, will ultimately have

serious financial consequences through an increasing number of injuries, giving rise to an increasing number of claims, which lead to increased insurance premiums and accident statistics that affect future work-winning.” I.S. ISO 45001 is designed to be integrated into an organisation’s existing management processes and follows the same high-level structure as other ISO management system standards, such as ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management), which are used by more than 3,000 companies in Ireland today, including many local authorities. Developed under the ISO system, I.S. ISO 45001 provides an international framework that takes into account the interaction between an organization and its business environment. Key potential benefits from use of the standard include a reduction of workplace incidents, reduced absenteeism and staff turnover, reduced cost of insurance premiums, the creation of a health and safety culture, reinforced leadership commitment to proactively improve Occupational Health and Safety performance, enhanced reputation and improved staff morale. Standards began with the obvious things like weights and measures, and over the last 50 years have developed into a family which covers everything from shoes and stairs, to the Wi-Fi networks that connect us. Addressing all these and more, international standards mean that employees can have greater confidence that the best possible systems are in place to ensure their safety and wellbeing while they work. With certification to I.S. ISO 45001, there’s no reason why that confidence can’t extend tothe public sector organisations themselves NSAI’s Business Excellence team is available to answer any queries relating to Management Systems Certifications. For more information, visit www. nsai.ie/management-systems. For more information about standards and how they’re made, visit https://www.nsai.ie/Standards.aspx.

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Improve your BER Improve you BER rating and save on energy bills and increase the value of your home

For almost ten years BER ratings have been required for any existing buildings presented for sale or rent, regardless of the age of the building. BER is a valuation that measures the energy efficiency of commercial and residential buildings in Ireland and is represented by a scale of A to G, where A1 is the most energy efficient rating and G is the least. A difference of just a few grades on a BER can have a significant impact on a home’s heating bill. If you are selling or renting a property, you are legally obliged to provide a valid BER to prospective buyers and tenants. This also applies to property advertisements which must display the property’s BER. Equally, if you are buying or renting a property, the seller or landlord is required to provide you with a valid rating. The higher the home’s rating the less money it will cost to heat. Even if you aren’t looking to sell or rent, achieving a lower

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BER will reduce your energy bills and make an appreciable difference to disposable income. A difference of just a few grades in your BER can have a substantial impact on your home heating bill, so it is important to know how energy efficient your home is. Most houses built before 1994 will have a D1 rating or lower, unless they have been upgraded. However, upgrading can save you thousands of euro in heating bills over 10 years. A BER is valid for 10 years as long as no significant structural changes are made to the property that might affect the rating. A provisional BER can be made on the basis of a property’s plans but this is only valid for 2 years. The BER assessment must be carried out by a certified assessor. There’s no fixed cost for an assessment, so be sure to get a number of different quotes before you hire a BER assessor. The colourful BER indicator is typically displayed alongside property descriptions and it provides a simple, colour coded

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IMPROVE YOUR BER Insulation: Increase insulation in walls, attic and floors and top up existing insulation Windows: Replace or Seal Old Windows Single-glazed windows tend to loose a lot of heat. Inmany cases, draught stripping will improve this but secondary glazing or complete wind replace can return highest overall savings. Double glazing would reduce heat loss through the windows by 1/3rd and low emissivity triple glazing would reduce heat loss by over 2/3rds. Low Energy Lighting: Use energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs). Not only do they last up to 15 times longer than ordinary bulbs, CFLs use 80% less electricity. Remember turn off lights when they are not required.

rating from A to G.. Higher ratings are coloured green, medium ratings yellow and low ratings red. A BER considers all aspects of your home and its energy efficiency, including walls, dimensions of the floor and roof, window and door size, insulation and your heating system as well as the energy used for heat, light, pumps and fans. It does not include energy used for items such as washing machines, dishwashers, cookers and fridges. Most houses built after 2006 should have a C1 or higher rating in line with building standards. Houses built before 2006 can apply for the SEAI Better Energy Homes scheme. The SEAI Better Energy Homes scheme provides homeowners with grants to improve the energy efficiency of their home, which can be used to invest in energy efficiency improvements including: wall insulation, Installation of high efficiency boilers, upgraded heating controls and installation of solar panels

Controlled Ventilation System: Whilst ventilation is necessary, excessive ventilation can result in energy wastage. Controlled vents should be installed in every room. Cooker hoods and small extract fans should be installed to allow for controlled removal of moist air from kitchens and bathrooms. Draught proofing may be applied to doors and windows. Heating Systems: A 93% efficient boiler will save about â&#x201A;Ź600 a year in fuel. If you have a boiler with an efficiency of 80% or under it is worth considering replacing it with one of the modern condensing boilers which have efficiencies of up to 97%. This will improve the BER considerably. Modern Heating Controls: Improving the heating control system can reduce the BER quite significantly. There are a variety of possibilities depending on the type of heating system present, e.g. for boiler systems the ideal is to have time & temperature control. Get a Lagging Jacket: A thick lagging jacket for your hot water cylinder will keep your water warm for longer, improve your BER and save you money.

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great people great projects

Planning | Engineering | Environment Communications | Project Management

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Green is the City The 2018 Public Sector Environment Award goes to the EU Commission in recognition of the success of the European Green Capital Award which is presented to cities which have excelled in sustainable urban living. The European Commission has won the 2018 Public Sector Magazine Award for its European Green Capital Award initiative. It was presented in Dublin to the Director General of DG Environment, Daniel Calleja Crespo by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy TD. DG Calleja was accompanied by RPS Director, PJ Rudden and RPS Project Manager, Louise Connolly, who are part of the EU Commission Secretariat for the European Green Capital Award (EGCA). The Secretariat is responsible for the technical, environmental and communications management of the awards. The Award was made to the EU Commission for its 10 years in initiating and growing the success of the European Green Capital Award. This is an annual award set up by the EU Commission in 2008 for a city that excels in sustainable urban living, has ambitious future goals and is capable of acting as a role model for other cities. RPS has been secretariat for 8 of the last 11 years. The European Green Capital Award (EGCA) is open to cities with a population over 100,000. Due to its success a similar competition, the European Green Leaf Award (EGLA), was created in 2015 for cities with populations of 20,000 and up to 100,000 inhabitants. Since 2008 there have been 11 EGCA winning cities – Stockholm, Sweden (2010); Hamburg, Germany (2011); Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain (2012); Nantes, France (2013); Copenhagen, Denmark (2014); Bristol, UK (2015); Ljubljana, Slovenia (2016); Essen, Germany (2017); Nijmegen, Netherlands (2018), Oslo, Norway (2019) and Lisbon, Portugal (2020). To date there have been seven winners of the European Green Leaf drawn from six Member States. The cities of Mollet del Vallès, Spain and Torres Vedras, Portugal were awarded the European Green Leaf Award in 2015, Galway, Ireland, in 2017, Leuven, Belgium and Växjö, Sweden, in 2018 and Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain and Horst aan de Maas, The Netherlands, in 2019. Cities are initially technically assessed by an international panel of experts on 12 environmental indicators for the EGCA and six topic areas for the EGLA. Shortlisted cities then present to an international Jury chaired by the European Commission with members drawn from representative bodies including the Committee of the Regions, Covenant of Mayors, European Environment Agency and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. This annual competition among cities has grown to be a very significant environmental initiative across the Member States from north to south and from east to west, according to the Director General of DG Environment, Daniel Calleja Crespo. “Each city has its own unique character and environmental problems to address but by sharing these issues and solutions that learning is transferred from city

Pictured at the award presentation in Dublin Castle: PJ Rudden RPS Director, Minister Eoghan Murphy TD, Daniel Calleja Crespo Director General DG Environment, and Louise Connolly RPS Project Manager. The image was provided courtesy Paul Holmes Photography. to city. Examples of issues addressed include the need to adapt to future climate change, to better manage our water resources and transform waste management into circular economy solutions,” he said. “This Award celebrates the many cities who have entered the competition, have been shortlisted and who have won – all of whom are determined to exchange ideas, learn more sustainable practices, to inspire others and to collaborate in the future as a network of European cities. To date, some 86 cities have entered the awards drawn from 26 Member States which indicates a high level of engagement over the past 11 years. We will continue to build on this enthusiasm of cities to be leaders of urban sustainability and to inspire other cities.” The European Green Capital 2020 award winner was announced at the Awards Ceremony in June 2018 from a shortlist of three cities – Ghent (Belgium), Lahti (Finland) and Lisbon (Portugal) with Lisbon being designated the 2020 EGCA winner. The winners of the European Green Leaf Award 2019 are Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain and Horst aan de Maas, The Netherlands.

WINNING CITIES 2010: Stockholm 2011: Hamburg 2012: Vitoria Gasteiz 2013: Nantes 2014: Copenhagen

2015: Bristol 2016: Ljubljana 2017: Essen 2018: Nijmegen 2019: Oslo 2020: Lisbon

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Preserving our heritage to last a lifetime

Merging tradition & conservation technology for superior results Consultation, design & specification Remedial surveys Condensation & mould solutions Dry & Wet rot eradication Rising damp solutions Timber treatments Rotec Vortex stone & brick cleaning Lime pointing & rendering Breathable interior insulation Waterproof tanking systems Radon gas control Fintan@ffcs.ie / 087 - 1192740 Laura@ffcs.ie / 085 - 1496297 110

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www.ffcs.ie

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Preserving our Past Fintan Farrell Conservation Services, or FFCS, is one of Ireland leading conservation solutions companies. Based in Dublin and Wexford, the company offers a nationwide service and in addition to the technical team which comprises the proprietor Fintan Farrell and his daughter Laura, FFCS also employs 12 skilled operatives. Fintan talks about the problems they typically encounter when restoring older buildings.

FFCS have been working in the field of conservation & waterproofing for over thirty years and the company is passionate about our built heritage and bringing buildings up to current standards while maintaining their historical background. The company provides its services to all construction professionals nationwide as well as private clients and through the years it has acquired an impressive reputation for its expertise and professionalism. “We pride ourselves on excellent workmanship. We foster an open communication system with all our clients and are delighted to share our experience and knowledge freely,” says Fintan. “We recently worked on Wexford Courthouse where we rejuvenated the original red brick façade. This involved brick cleaning using the Rotec Vortex method. This method of cleaning potentially prolongs the longevity of the brick by 70-90 years. We also raked out the old defective pointing and replaced it with a lime-based mortar. This ensures the brick can breathe while allowing vapour to enter and exit the fabric freely. When a building can’t breathe properly, issues such as damp staining to walls, mould growth, musty odours and even dry rot can be found internally. Dealing with excess moisture in a building is time sensitive in order to stave off larger problems. The warmer Summer months see an increase in dry rot, which can be quite destructive. Dry rot will grow through plaster and masonry to find its next damp source. Dry rot will germinate and spread in a damp environment where the moisture content has risen to 20%-40%, where ventilation is poor and where sustained heat is present. Luckily there are remedial options available to keep all damp issues at bay while ensuring the least amount of disruption to the building.

Buildings which are pre-1900 now have an array of options to help them meet our modern living needs. Up until about 10 years ago, insulating a Victorian property came with many headaches. With advances in conservation technology, we can now implement fully breathable dry lining systems to these properties, allowing them to increase their living comfort as well as having a positive impression on our carbon footprint. We recently worked with Jamie Heaslip and Sheena O’Buachalla to renovate their home and ensure they will be reaping the benefits for years to come. Ireland has a wonderful built heritage which can contribute to our 21st century needs. We get great pleasure from knowing we are helping these buildings last for generations to come. As well as ensuring our built heritage is damp proof, we also provide services to new builds to ensure they are protected from future damp and ground gases. Waterproof tanking and radon gas prevention is an integral part of our business. We are proud to be certified contractors for all the major waterproofing manufacturers. “We are currently involved gas proofing a new residential development in Naas. Gas proofing came into the building regulations in 1994. Ireland has soil rich in radon. This is not a problem in the open air but can pose a threat within closed environments such as a house. Ensuring best practice with gas prevention contributed to better health. “We have recently been involved in waterproofing the new DIT student accommodation on Church Street and the new IMC cinema in Kilkenny. The Stella Theatre is another iconic building which has benefited from conservation technology. Last year we were involved in the rejuvenation of this piece of history, ensuring it is waterproofed for generations to come.”

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Top Contractors The combined turnover of Ireland’s top construction firms has increased by €720million on last year according to the Construction Industry Federation’s (CIF) annual Top 50 Contractors listing for 2018. The annual listing which was published in the CIF Magazine gives a snapshot of the overall growth in Irish construction as it delivers many largescale projects throughout Ireland and the world, attracting foreign direct investment to Ireland and exporting over €1.6bn in construction expertise. According to Construction Magazine’s figures the Top 50 Irish Contractors reported a combined turnover of €6.72billion over the last 12 months, with €5.1billion of this activity taking place in Ireland and a €1.62billion resulting from exported construction services. Ireland’s Top 50 Contractors list was revealed at a recent industry event in Dublin where industry leaders gathered to celebrate a successful year of increased business despite the challenges that remain for the sector. Tom Parlon, Director General, CIF said that Irish main and specialist contractors are critical to Ireland’s competitiveness. “The largest corporations in the world locate in Ireland for many reasons. But, if our main and specialist contractors were not world-class they would never establish a footprint here. Ireland is working because this sector is working,” he said. “Without the success of Irish construction, we would not have had the ability to attract tech savvy and forward-thinking multinationals like Linkedin, Google, Facebook, Eli Lilly to name but a few, and this is now recognised by the IDA and the wider Government apparatus. “The construction industry is changing, we are innovating and leading the way in how we implement new and improved technology, how we attract and retain workers and how we work together more generally. We have emerged from the depths of the recession leaner, more modern, sustainable, adaptable and resilient. But there are significant improvements, that still need to be made in order to preserve and support our sector’s recovery into the future. “We must enable more companies to grow and become world-leaders. To do this, we need the Government to set out an export-led growth strategy for this important sector. We also need to fix our procurement system here at home and ensure the right supports are in place to help build companies of scale. Finally, we must also work to attract workers back into the industry and make the process of moving home from abroad and gaining work in the sector more streamlined.” Minister of State at the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Patrick O’Donovan who spoke at the event praised the industry for “yet another progressive year” for the construction sector. “The increase in turnover and employment levels across the various sectors is most welcome from Government’s perspective,” he said. “It reflects an economy that has shown an average of 4.4% growth in the years 2013 – 2017 with unemployment figures down from 16% in 2012 to just below 6% in April of this year.”

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Minister O’Donovan said the increase in export activity demonstrates growing diversity that will stand the sector in good stead in more challenging economic times while the Government’s commitment to advancing digital technologies in the delivery of the National Development Plan will also further expand the sector’s export potential. “There is evidence too that the recovery in the sector is spreading beyond the urban centres where the ‘green shoots’ were first seen in 2013. Recent analysis also highlights a welcome increase in residential construction activity whilst growth in other areas remains strong. “Our workforce is internationally renowned for its skills, professionalism and innovation which has contributed to sustained investment, even during the toughest years of the recession. In this regard, the construction sector has played a key role in the recovery both in the construction of vital public and social infrastructure but also attracting inward investment by recording extremely positive outcomes amongst the sectors’ large, multinational client bodies. Confidence levels in the Irish economy are undoubtedly high but it would be remiss not to mention the challenges; housing, Brexit and the current uncertainty in global trade arrangements have the potential to impact further growth. Skills shortages and the persistently low margins that are evident in certain sectors are challenges that are particular to the construction industry. Skills shortages allied with the uncertain global trade situation are likely to increase inflationary TOP 10 CIF pressure in the CONTRACTORS 2018 short to medium 1. John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Limited: term whereas €950,000,000 low margins 2. Mercury Engineering €600,000,000 are impacting 3. BAM Civil Ltd €470,000,000 relationships 4. John Paul Construction Lt. €360,000,000 and payments 5. Jones Engineering: €350,000,000 in the extensive 6. Bennett Construction Ltd: €325,000,000 construction supply 7. JJ Rhatigan & Company: €245,000,000 chain. Government 8. Dornan Engineering Ltd: €218,000,000 is committed to 9. Roadbridge: €213,000,000 working with 10. Winthrop: €208,000,000 industry to manage these challenges.”

‘The World’s First Health And Safety Management Standard is Here’ Public Sector Magazine

When properly implemented, I.S. ISO 45001 can help reduce workplace incidents and enhance staff morale.

Find out more about implementing I.S. ISO 45001 in your organisation at www.nsai.ie/certification

Contact NSAI Tel 01 807 3800 Email info@nsai.ie | Follow @NSAI_Standards NSAI - 1 Swift Square, Northwood, Santry, Dublin 9 D09 A0E4 | T +353 1 807 3800 | E info@nsai.ie | @NSAI_Standards NSAI and the NSAI Logo are registered trademarks of NSAI

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Demand outstrips Supply Demand for surveying professionals is expected to outstrip supply by over 2,000 over the next four years but shortfall could be twice that number

“If we are to produce more graduates we will need more property and construction courses and hence we will require more investment in third level education.

Despite an increase in the number of students enrolling in property and construction courses in recent years, a new report predicts that graduate output will be insufficient to meet future demand and that Ireland is set to experience a shortage of over 2,000 construction and property surveyors over the next four years. The report, Employment Opportunities and Future Skills Requirements for Surveying Professions 2018 – 2021 predicts that 3,739 additional surveying positions will be created over that period. However, the number of students graduating from property and construction related degree programmes over the same period will only number 1,577, a shortfall of 2,162. The projection is based on economic growth of 3% per annum. If the economy grows by 4% per annum the shortfall will double to 4,000 up to 2021. The European Commission has forecast GDP

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growth of 5.7% for Ireland this year and 4.1% for 2019. The author of the report, Dr Róisín Murphy from Dublin Institute of Technology, says the situation is so serious that the lack of supply of suitably qualified surveying professionals is now the primary constraint to employment growth. “Over the last four years there has been a notable increase in employment across every surveying profession, which in many instances has exceeded the estimates in our 2014 to 2018 report. The projected demand for surveyors between 2018-2021 spans every level of experience, from graduate to senior surveyor, and as positions are filled at higher levels it will undoubtedly generate further opportunities for graduates. However, while there has been an increase in enrolment on third level surveying programmes in the last number of years, the increased supply of graduates has continued to be outstripped by demand.”

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Information technology is transforming the way surveyors work be it through 3D modelling, augmented and virtual reality or Building Information Modelling. However, under-investment in IT by the industry over the past decade may have left the sector lacking in expertise in this area “As a result, the shortage of suitably qualified surveyors is likely to continue to put upward pressure on wage levels and ultimately on building costs. The other main constraints on growth cited by respondents were clients’ access to finance, the cost of finance, taxation and Brexit” “Our findings show that the key drivers of employment are consumer sentiment and indigenous private sector investment. The domestic economy is likely to provide the impetus for employment growth across the surveying professions and based on our projections, graduate output will fill less than half of the posts being created. The situation is particularly acute in the property surveying sector which includes estate agency, valuations, asset management and property management. The shortfall here is predicted to be 1,110 in the next four years” Dr Murphy said. Data for the report, which was commissioned by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, was collected from SCSI member practices via an online survey, interviews with industry stakeholders and enrolment data from third level institutions. The SCSI’s Director of Education James Lonergan described the findings as alarming and said they underlined the urgent need for a dramatic increase in the number of Chartered Surveyors to build, sell and manage the new homes, offices, health, transport and education facilities the country so badly needs following years of under-investment. “If we are to produce more graduates we will need more property and construction courses and hence we will require more investment in third level education. For example at the moment only one third level institution provides an SCSI accredited Building Surveying Programme. We also need to promote the profession more, to facilitate collaboration between

“The shortage of suitably qualified surveyors is likely to continue to put upward pressure on wage levels and ultimately on building costs.” the industry, the SCSI and the education sector while also encouraging experienced surveyors to return to Ireland.” “Information technology is transforming the way surveyors work be it through 3D modelling, augmented and virtual reality or Building Information Modelling. However, some respondents pointed out that under-investment in IT by the industry over the past decade may have left the sector lacking in expertise in this area and the acquisition of IT skills must be a top priority for the profession as should the provision of advanced surveying qualifications more generally.” “The report also found that there is growing awareness within the profession of a need for greater diversity in the workforce and that the benefits of gender, age and cultural diversity are not being fully realised.” “Of course, there are positives here for anyone considering a career in surveying and we would urge any students who are interested in property or construction to consider a career in a sector which can offer high levels of mobility, job satisfaction and career advancement as well as international opportunities. In that regard it is worth noting that the final date for CAO change of mind applications is July 1st” he concluded.

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Working together for positive change

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Low-Cost Tendering Lowest-cost tendering has dogged the construction industry in recent times. Martin Lang, Director, Main Contracting, CIF explains why this practice needs to change. deficit or flaw in the information, there must be latitude to recover that change to risk.

What Needs to Happen?

Lowest-cost tendering is a much talked about problem within our industry. However, it is merely a symptom of the broader problem that is the current system of public procurement. It is becoming clear that the industry needs to get to a level of sustainable procurement. We have seen a concerning number of high profile contractor collapses and examinerships in recent months. Many of these have in some way fallen foul of what turned out to be unsustainable procurement. To paraphrase TS Elliot, I think ‘the beginning is your end’ as far as procurement is concerned. What I mean by ‘sustainable procurement’ is the upstream decisions that are made when a client – like the Public Sector – decides to execute a project and the bottom falls in. If the client brief is not clear, that is the start of the issue, and this is something that we have seen across the industry for a considerable period of time. Current Public Procurement Under the current public procurement rules, the process favours the lowest price rather than the best price. Therefore, if the initial brief is unclear, problems are inevitable as the design team works from that brief. It then goes out to tender with documentation that has not been adequately prepared. Contractors are brought in to tender for a particular project, knowing full well that in the event that they win the contract based on lowest price, not best price, once they sign the contract, there is no road back to review the original design, to point out deficits or request background information, etc. Once our members sign that contract, they take on all of that risk. The original intent of the PWC in 2006/2007 was to have a fixed-sum contract, but that was based on fully-developed tender documents. Our members never have a problem with fixed remuneration or fixed-price contracts. So, if there is a

We submitted our mediumterm strategy to the Office of Government Procurement in 2015/ 2016, and that is a substantial submission. We’re making progress, but the speed of progress is insufficient to address the deep flaws in the current process. Originally, the contractor was also responsible for taking the quantum risk, but we got that changed last year. One of the serious risks in the Public Sector contracts remains, ‘inflation risk’ and that of background information. The risk should lie with the person in the best position to manage such a risk. The contractor is not in a position to manage, in a balanced way, the risk condensed from the beginning due to poor tender documents and lowest price criteria – which is a race to the bottom.

Sustainable Tendering Practices There has to be an intelligent approach at the beginning, before tender documents are developed. There are procurement methods that address these issues, we see these working in the private sector. We are trying to amend Public Sector contracts to make them more fair and balanced. We accept that contractors take risks, that’s their business, but those risks must be balanced and based on firm information. The reason that we have these simplistic, lowest-price tendering awards is that some public procurers take great comfort in making the assessment and issuing the award believing that the lowest price is not challengeable. Quality, life-cycle project costs and value-for-money criteria must be at the heart of any sustainable procurement process, which inevitably results in more sustainable tendering practices for client, contractor and design teams. Although this approach requires more effort, it is essentially best practice and results in better outcomes and less adversarial and more collaborative approaches.

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THE CEMENT YOU TRUST ü The highest quality cement in Ireland for over 80 years ü Trusted by generations of builders and plasterers ü Made with local material for use in Irish conditions ü Consistent colour and performance ü Unrivalled technical expertise and customer support

CEMENT ACCOUNTS FOR JUST 1% OF THE COST OF A TYPICAL HOUSE TRUST IRISH CEMENT 118 the Public Sector Magazine www.irishcement.ie

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Cementing the Future Irish Cement - 80 years from 1938 to 2018

Life in Ireland has changed dramatically over the past eighty years. In 1938 the Irish population was less than three million. Just half the population was connected to the electricity network, and less than one in ten households had radio licenses. Cars were still a rare sight on the roads, with bicycles instead the more common form of transport, back then a new bicycle cost £5! The year1938 was significant for the fledgling Irish state, with Ireland’s first president, Douglas Hyde inaugurated in June and the 20,000 seat Cusack Stand opened in Croke Park in August. It was also a significant year for Irish Cement as on 23rd May 1938, Sean Lemass, then Minister for Industry and Commerce, officially opened the cement factories in Drogheda and Limerick. These openings were the culmination of a concerted effort to develop an indigenous cement industry. In 1933 the Cement Act was established, which provided the legal framework for the formation of a cement industry in Ireland. In 1934, the State approved the first cement licence and in May 1936, Cement Limited was registered as a Limited Liability Company and the two cement factories were established in Limerick and Drogheda in 1938. Cement Limited and Roadstone Limited merged in 1970 to form CRH plc. In December 1978, the name ‘Cement Limited’ was changed to ‘Irish Cement Limited’ to reflect the long history of indigenous cement manufacture at the two factories and to more appropriately brand the Company and its products as being 100% Irish. Irish Cement today has a skilled workforce, operating two modern energy-efficient cement factories in Platin and Limerick

which manufacture high quality cement for the construction sector both in Ireland and in export markets. The company continues to modernise and adapt both factories to reflect best practice and technology to meet customer demand for high quality products and ensure the long-term sustainability of the operations. The importance placed by Irish Cement on continuous improvement over eighty years has resulted in products of the highest quality and consistency. Irish Cement products, long regarded as the benchmark for quality in Ireland, are also considered market leaders in high profile UK and mainland European construction markets. Dedicated, expert technical support to customers and the broader industry has been a feature of Irish Cement’s service since the early days of the company. As construction techniques evolve and technical requirements become increasingly sophisticated, this expert technical support is more important than ever. The development of our modern way of life in Ireland is closely linked to the improvements in housing, transport and infrastructure, where cement and concrete continue to play a vital role. Irish Cement rightly remains proud of this close association over the past eighty years with the development of our modern Irish economy; not many products can claim to have formed the foundation of our nation! Generations of construction workers have relied on the tried and trusted performance of Irish Cement products. Now eighty years on, Irish Cement is well positioned to continue providing the construction market with high quality cement and technical support as Ireland builds its future.

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The Sky’s the Limit In the near twenty years since its establishment, Tipperary-based Skyline Scaffolding Ltd has earned a reputation for providing professional service, experienced staff, and cutting edge scaffolding technology, with an emphasis on safety, to its clients.

Established by Kevin Smith and Roisin Mellett in 1999, Skyline originally catered for all manner of clientele, from housing developments to industrial contracts. In a sector heavily-hit by the recession, Skyline Scaffolding Ltd, under the measured guidance its co-founders and directors, was one relatively small company that managed to weather the storm. In fact, they are now set to thrive in a recovering market, recently constructing the largest free-standing scaffolding structure in Ireland using the world-renowned Layher scaffolding system. One way that Skyline has differentiated themselves from the competition is by shifting their focus away from housing developments and towards industrial projects. Kevin recalls how winning a contract for a chemical company opened his eyes to “the opportunities and challenges that were there”, and convinced him and Roisin to specialise in the industrial sector. Skyline today caters for food, chemical, public sector, and pharmaceutical clients, and counts Glanbia, PM Group, MSL Motor Group, Semiton, Radley Engineering Group, Merck, the Office of Public Works, Imtech, Johnson Controls, and Jacobs among its list of satisfied customers. One major challenge in the sector today is a shortage of qualified employees, with many skilled tradesmen wary to return to an industry that had been so heavily hit during

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recession times, and younger generations drawn to different industries. “Focus has shifted to academia rather than practical skills”, Kevin divulges. “Luckily, because we’re doing different and innovative stuff, we’d have lads looking to work for us. When you’re doing industrial scaffolding you can be asked to do very intricate and very unique stuff. It engages people’s’ minds, they want that challenge”. One of their most impressive recent projects was a striking 42x25x20 metre structure in Waterford, which claimed the title of Ireland’s largest free-standing scaffolding structure, and was constructed using the famous Layher system. The recordholding structure was designed at the behest of SPX Flow, and would be used for the prefabrication of an enormous dryer. The nature of the project required some innovative thinking. The structure had to be weatherproof to facilitate the assembly of the dryer. The enormous scale of the structure was to accommodate the finished dryer as well as a crane that was to be placed inside. Furthermore, it was necessary for a rolling roof to be installed, so that the finished dryer could be crane-lifted out of the construct and positioned nearby. The experienced Skyline Scaffolding team erected the structure using Layher’s scaffolding system and informed by world-class, Layer-led, specialist training. They opted for a Kader rolling roof to manage the rolling roof requirement,

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which was then shrink-wrapped to ensure that it was weatherproof. This accomplishment is even more impressive when one considers that most of the Skyline team were only introduced to the Layher system in January of this year, and that construction was completed in April. German-based Layher is the world’s leading system scaffold designer, a title established over seventy years of innovation, quality, reliability, and responsibility in Europe and across the globe. Kevin remembers attending a Layher Open Day in September 2017. “A colleague told me about the event, and highly recommended that I go to it. We went over and we liked what we saw. We needed a system, so why not go for the best?” Kevin says, adding that “the Layher system is considered the Rolls Royce of scaffolding systems.” At Layher, quality, technical support, and safety are high priorities. They were a natural fit for a company like Skyline. The company’s commitment to safety can be seen reflected in the multiple independent safety certifications that it has received, including the EN 29001, DIN ISO 9001, CEN HD GAP 1000, and TUV CERT, as well as in its full involvement in the NASC working party. This could only have been accomplished by prioritising safety at every stage of operation, from design and manufacture, to training and support, to storage and implementation. Skyline Scaffolding Ltd, too, have made a point of investing in safety. All staff have Safe Pass, CSCS, Manual Handling, Use of Harness and Lanyard as well as Working at Height certification, and are continually appraised of the safety standards that are expected. Regular safety audits are carried out on all sites by an independent Health & Safety expert. Frequent tool box talks are held on health and safety issues. All equipment is regularly inspected to ensure that it meets or exceeds the required safety standards in line with HSA Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds. In response to this level of commitment, the company received the Safe-T Cert, an accrediting programme designed to certify the Safety Management Systems of construction industry contractors, in 2013. In 2014 and 2015 Skyline’s consistent dedication to safety was rewarded with a “B” grade Safe-T Cert. In 2016 Tom Parlon, Director General of the Construction Industry Federation, officially recognised Skyline’s continuous improvement and exemplary practice by presenting them with a coveted “A” grade Safety Cert. Skyline Scaffolding Ltd are also recipients of the NISO Safety Award.

“The Layher system is considered the Rolls Royce of scaffolding systems.” It was apparent early on that the two companies would be a good fit. Although the Layher system was new to the Skyline Scaffolding Ltd team, “the workers could adapt to, understand, and implement it very quickly”, Kevin notes. “Of course they got great training from Layher, and to be able to start with workers who had never used it and to then build what we built in four months, that speaks volumes for the system itself”. The appreciation goes both ways. John Carolan, Managing Director of Layher Ireland applauds Skyline for “making the Layher system their own” and using its potential to tackle a unique and challenging project. “Kevin and the Skyline team showed phenomenal innovation and really showed that they could think outside the box”, he continues. “Their experience, expertise, and creativity really came to the fore”.

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Evolving, growing, improving all the time…

IRELAND IS CHANGING

…and so are we 2017 saw PRINCIPAL CONSTRUCTION complete a number of high-profile exciting fit outs, new-builds and refurbishment projects in the residential, commercial, educational, pharmaceutical and hospitality sectors. www.principalconstruction.ie

Work With Us Principal Construction’s four basic principles of consistency, reliability, dedication and cooperation have built a solid reputation for excellence since 1999. 2017 brought more industry awards, most notably, as ‘outright winners’ in the Specialist Construction category for Public Service Contractors. The award recognised Principal Construction as a leading company for its “continued demonstration of outstanding service, continuity, track record and general excellence in business to the Public Sector, Irish companies, and to the people of Ireland.” 122

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Principal Construction continues to seek new opportunities, expanding their client-base and increasing their presence in the commercial fit out sector.

42 Arran Street East, Smithfield, Dublin 7 P +353 (0)1 828 0860 M +353 (0)87 290 0838 E info@principalconstruction.ie

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The Heat Under Our Feet The Geothermal Association of Ireland was established to promote the use and development of geothermal energy in Ireland. An environmentally friendly, renewable resource with vast potential, geothermal is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth, which could play a vital role in helping Ireland in meeting its future energy needs. The Geothermal Association of Ireland (GAI) was formed in January 1998 to promote the development of geothermal resources in Ireland. In addition to promoting the use of geothermal energy, the principal mandate of GAI is to improve the understanding of the nature production and uses of geothermal energy and to also promote best practice in the geothermal industry in order to maintain the public acceptance of the technology. Geothermal energy in Ireland is dominated by the use of low temperature resources for space heating, hot water and cooling applications. Figures from 2016 show ground source heat pump installations account for a total of 191 MW installed capacity with installations of up to 2MW. The future developments of geothermal resources play a key role in contributing to the required increase in the use of renewable heating technologies to meet the National Renewable Energy Action Plan, fulfil the objectives set out in the Energy White Paper and the future Ireland planning framework (Ireland 2040 Our Plan). EU and SFI funded research projects are investigating the use of deep geothermal resources to address high heat demand.

Work of the GAI GAI provides a valuable service to its members and to the general public in providing and disseminating information on geothermal energy resources in Ireland. Members of the association have supported the completion of geothermal collector suitability maps and a homeowner manual by the Geological Survey of Ireland. The collector suitability maps demonstrate how suited the Irish subsurface is at delivering renewable heat using geothermal heat pumps. GAI is also focussed on promoting the efficiency and the importance of the quality of installation of systems through our biannual conference and the Installation of the Year awards competition for both residential and commercial systems where wards to installers of systems are given following an independent adjudication process. The geothermal energy sector in Ireland and its representation at national consultation level is a key objective of our association. Over the past few years the GAI has represented its members in public consultation processes including the Renewable Heat Incentive, the Contractors Code of Practice and Standards and Specification

Guidelines for the Better Energy Programmes (SEAI) and through our membership of the European Geothermal Energy Council to the public consultation process for the Clean Energy Package that will shape the renewables landscape of Europe to 2030. A number of initiatives to stimulate a sustainable future development of the shallow geothermal energy sector, aimed at tackling barriers to the future development of the geothermal sector are being implemented. Technical guideline documentation has been developed to provide standards for system installation and increasing public awareness amongst users and decision makers about geothermal heat pump collectors. Comprehensive training initiatives and certification for industry stakeholders and GAI members involved in design and installation of systems are being finalised in conjunctions with similar EU training and certification programmes.

Benefits of Membership n Access to networking opportunities with industry leaders and stakeholders n Voice in policy development n Easy access to key industry information and developments n Access to current newsletters, technical reference documents and conference proceedings n Discounts for attending GAI conferences & related events n Corporate Associate Members n Corporate logo & web link to home page appearance on this website n Up to three individuals granted access to GAI newsletters and private members section of the website For further information visit: www.geothermalassociation.ie

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Land Grab Economic advisory body Nesc urges State to build homes on public land

The National Economic and Social Council (Nesc) has said the State should consider using land which it already owns, including former docks and rail depots to help solve the housing crisis. In a new report, the Government advisory body describes land in public ownership as the “most critical resource” available to the State and points out that a “substantial amount” of this land is ideally located in both towns and cities. In particular, it singles out “large city-centre areas” which were previously in use as docks or rail depots in addition to those areas along new public transport corridors opened up by

infrastructure projects, such as the Luas Cross-City line in Dublin. The call to free up prime public land is one of a number of recommendations contained in the Nesc report, ‘Urban Development Land, Housing and Infrastructure: Fixing Ireland’s Broken System’ “Publicly owned sites now have a central role in addressing the housing crisis and starting the transition to a new system of active land management and urban development,” the report states. Nesc, which advises Government on the development of the economy, also says that generating returns for the State should not be the key focus when addressing housing needs.

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“Yet the approach of public bodies - NAMA included - is to maximise revenue by selling this land outright. In the midst of a housing crisis, this makes no sense. Simply building more unaffordable homes will not solve the housing and homelessness crisis.” In this regard, it is particularly critical in relation to the process of simply disposing State-owned sites to the highest bidder without any controls or stipulations placed on how the site is to be developed. It is crucial that publicly owned land which is being used for housing and related infrastructural development is entrusted to bodies which will develop it in in a “timely and appropriate manner”, rather than focus on maximising state revenue by selling it outright. “This would constitute a change from the approach adopted by many public bodies, including Nama,” Nesc stated. The report disputes the view that the shortage of affordable homes is as a result of factors related to the economic crash and instead attributes the problem to a system which it says is fundamentally flawed. Faced with exorbitant land prices, developers have no option other than to pursue the most profitable development possible rather than the housing types which are most in need in order to recoup land costs. “It is a mistake to see the current crisis as simply a legacy of the crash, which, as it fades, will yield a return to ‘normality,” the report says. “The dramatic experience of boom, bust and prolonged stasis makes it clear that the problem is largely systemic,” it says. Over the last 12 months sites controlled both by state bodies and Nama have been sold in numbers on a highest price basis, according to NESC, that points out that through and ultimately for building homes that many assert are simply unaffordable. Dr Larry O’Connell, Senior NESC economist points out that land use for both publicly and privately owned holdings in countries such as Germany, Austria and Belgium that have successfully maintained affordable house prices have been actively managed by the authorities according to requirements. “State bodies should have a responsibility in Ireland as they do in other countries, perhaps to partner with developers to provide the type of housing the state needs, while also deriving profit. “The focal point for competition is land acquisition and land hoarding, rather than quality of value for consumers. “Overall the supply of land is uncertain, patchy and costly. This tends to make the housing system risky, unstable and unaffordable.” The report says public land should be used to create “permanent housing affordability” through cost rental (whereby rents are based on the cost of building the home rather than its value), social housing and affordable housing for purchase, as simply building more homes will not be enough to solve the crisis, according to the report.

The advisory body also recommends imposing a site value tax on Dr Larry O’Connell, Senior NESC economist development land which it says would have “a number of advantages” including having a “less distortionary effect” than other forms of taxation in addition to promoting “improved land use”. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions welcomed the report and called for the immediate implementation of its key recommendations. ICTU General Secretary, Patricia King said she supports the use of publicly-owned land to build new homes and ensure that ‘affordability’ is central to official housing policy and she “agreed fully” with the NESC report’s characterisation of Ireland’s housing system as “speculative, volatile and expensive.” “The current approach is simply not delivering for workers and their families. Most individual wage earners will not qualify for a mortgage for one-bed apartment in Dublin, while two workers on median earnings are priced out of the market for a three-bedroom home in the capital, according to research from the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI). Furthermore, rents are now more than 20% above their pre-crash peak, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO),” she said. “In terms of land supply, we know the Government has identified 1,700 hectares owned by local authorities and the Housing Agency and 200 hectares owned by other state and semistate bodies (e.g. rail depots and former docks), as suitable for housing with the potential to provide at least 50,000 new homes. “Yet the approach of public bodies - NAMA included - is to maximise revenue by selling this land outright. In the midst of a housing crisis, this makes no sense. Simply building more unaffordable homes will not solve the housing and homelessness crisis. “We welcome NESC’s key recommendations on the use of publicly-owned land and affordability, along with proposals to bring greater certainty and stability to the rental sector. They are very much in line with the Congress Charter for Housing Rights, and NERI’s 2017 report, Ireland’s Housing Emergency: Time for a Game Changer. “The government should now give very serious consideration to the NESC report and act with urgency on its key recommendations,” Ms King said.

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Counting the Costs The first quarter of this year saw an overall reduction in the number of corporate insolvencies but the construction sector accounted for the highest number of company closures.

The latest insolvency statistics published by Deloitte show a total of 188 corporate insolvencies in the first quarter of the year. When compared with Q1 2017 (219) this represents a decrease of 14% and is in line with the average rate of decrease observed over the last 5 years. A closer look at the detail shows that of these 188 corporate insolvencies, creditors’ voluntary liquidations accounted for the majority, with 118 recorded in the period (63%). In the comparable period in 2017, creditors’ voluntary liquidations accounted for 114 of the appointments recorded. In Q1 2018, 54 receiverships were recorded (29%) compared with 86 in Q1 2017. This mix of insolvencies is typical of other prior periods. There were 13 court liquidator appointments in the period, up 6 from Q1 2017. Of these 13 appointments, petitions were brought by creditors of the companies in 61% of cases, by the Revenue Commissioners in 23% of cases, and the balance by the company itself. Examinerships continue to remain at low levels with only 3 examinership appointments in the period. This represents just

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1% of the 188 corporate insolvencies and is a marked decreased from the 12 appointments recorded in Q1 2017. Geographically, the highest number of corporate insolvencies in Q1 2018 was recorded in Leinster with 65% of total appointments. This is consistent with the comparable period in 2017 where Leinster also had 64% of all corporate insolvency appointments. In Q1 2018 Munster had 26% of appointments, Connaught 7% and Ulster just 1%, again showing consistency with the prior period. Looking at the ‘Top Five’ industry sectors, it was the construction industry which recorded the most insolvencies in Q1 2018 with 42 appointments (22%). This is a 17% increase on Q1 2017 when 36 appointments were recorded. According to Vincent Sorohan, Director, Deloitte’s Real Estate, a significant portion of construction company insolvencies in the first quarter were legacy cases related to the property crash. “Construction activity continues to expand at an increasing pace, particularly in the housebuilding sector, and the real

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Director General Tom Parlon

“The inflexibility challenge facing the industry appears to be a looming skills shortage which may have knock-on effects down the line for companies,” he said. Sorohan said the liquidation of Carillion which forced the closure of Irish Engineering construction company, the Sammon Group, showed the need to keep a close watch on the construction industry. Carillion Group owed more than €8m to Sammon. The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) said the figures were alarming and blamed the price inflexibility of government contracts together with rising costs which it said had depressed profit margins to well below the European average. The collapse of Carillion was also having a detrimental impact and the Federation warned that the high number of insolvencies could have adversely affect public projects. The Federation has been working to highlight the potential threat and in a letter sent to all TD’s and Ministers, the Director General of the CIF, Tom Parlon said the issues were “threatening construction jobs and the completion of publicsector construction projects in school-building, hospitals, road upgrades, social housing, and renovation of public buildings”. “The inflexibility of Government contracts in the face of substantial increases in input costs mean construction companies may now be forced out of business or to abandon ongoing public-sector projects. The Government contract forces all the risk and costs of unforeseeable issues onto the construction company,” the letter said. Companies were “locked into delivering projects at this price regardless of any cost increase in the intervening period” and “several construction companies currently involved in public sector contracts now face examinership or abandoning live public-sector projects,” he wrote. Meanwhile, a survey by one of Ireland’s biggest contractors revealed margins averaging 1-1.5% across the Irish industry compared to an EU sector norm of 5%.

of Government

The insolvency crisis among Irish contractors has already affected 17 school building projects and the number of education related projects which have been brought to a halt due to financial difficulties has increased by 750% so far this year. According to figures from the Department of Education schools in 13 counties have been impacted by builders going into examinership or being liquidated. This contrasts with 2016 when no projects were affected due to contractors going out of business while there were only two such cases last year. However, we are still a long way from the height of the financial crisis in 2010 when 472 Construction companies or 30% of the total number went bust. Some high profile construction failures during the year included the Fleming Group, Pierse Contracting and McInerney Group. Looking at the overall number of corporate insolvencies in each year since 2007, the highest number was seen in 2012 with 1,684 and the number recorded each year has been declining consistently since then.

contracts in the

face of substantial increases in

input costs mean construction

companies may

now be forced out of business or to

abandon ongoing public-sector projects.”

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Home Grown Talent A lack of apprenticeships is threatening our ability to deliver the housing and infrastructure that is urgently required

A survey conducted by Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) on behalf of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has found that Ireland lacks the requisite number of apprentices in construction to meet our housing and infrastructure needs. According to the survey, some 86% of construction companies are experiencing issues as a result of an inadequate supply of qualified tradespeople and this figure increases to 94% of large respondent firms. Only 1 in 3 construction companies surveyed reported currently employ apprentices. This lack of apprentices may negatively impact on the industry reaching its potential output whilst putting upward pressure on labour costs and the CIT-DIT recommends that urgent actions are taken by Government and industry to repurpose the apprenticeship model particularly with regards to the wet-trades. Whilst construction employment has grown by 50,000 since the nadir of 2013, apprenticeship numbers have in some trades failed to record significant improvements and declined in some important subsectors, such as the wet-trades – bricklaying, plastering, painting and decorating and tiling. The CIF Apprenticeship Working Group authorised this research as part of an ongoing PhD project currently being undertaken in DIT. The report is an independent investigation offering unique insight gained directly from construction employers.

The report found only 29% of respondent companies currently employ apprentices. Most commonly employed apprentices are Carpentry & Joinery followed by Electrician and Plumbing. However, the most common apprentice by number employed remains Electrician followed by Plumbing, then Carpentry and Joinery. Dermot Carey, Director of Safety and Training, CIF says that apprentices are essential to the development of a modern construction industry. “Around 2006, we had over 25,000 apprentices in the industry and an annual registration of 8,306. Today, we only have around 3,000 new registrations annually,” he said. “We have only 7 female apprentices in the construction industry. The industry is in strong recovery mode and employment is increasing by about 10,000 workers per year, but we are not seeing sufficient numbers coming through the apprenticeship model. This survey shows that the model needs to be updated particularly with regards to the wet-trades. If the construction industry continues to grow as forecast, a lack of apprenticeships will have a long-term impact on our ability to grow, it will put upward pressure on wages across the industry and ultimately, it is possible that some trades will be left with a void of homegrown talent. According to Carey, skills gaps have emerged across the full

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range of construction trades and are most pronounced in the wet-trades (e.g. Plastering). The shortage is so severe that there exists the potential for long term problems, such as is the case of floor and wall tiling, where no new apprentices have been registered in the last number of years. The survey shows that for many companies, particularly the SME cohort, (about 99% of the industry) taking on an apprentice is beyond their financial capacity. In other words, a gap has emerged between industry and the apprentice in trades that are critical to the delivery of the housing and infrastructure which our society and economy requires. Closing this gap will need to be a collaborative effort with the State. “Significant investment in the education, training and apprenticeship system is required if we are to expand the capacity of the industry to deliver infrastructure and resolve the housing crisis whilst also equipping the next generation with construction skills,” said Carey. “Relying upon importing mobile labour to meet demand is not sustainable. Moreover, it is at the expense of growing indigenous talent and, thus a wasted opportunity. Rather, with investment, and targeted measures, the State can deliver necessary construction whilst enabling industry to provide thousands of quality careers to people.” Carey points out that many of today’s industry leaders have come through an apprenticeship to now lead global companies while hundreds of managers and thousands of workers have also come through the system. As such, apprentices play a vital role in the evolution of our industry. “We need a fully functional apprenticeship system that benefits the apprentice, the company and of course, the State. Due to the increasing demand for construction output over the next decade, increasing apprenticeship numbers is critical so our companies can meet Ireland’s housing and infrastructure needs. “The pipeline for construction activity is very strong with predictions of between 9% and 14% annual growth for the coming years. So now is an ideal time to address any shortcomings and to ensure that the system is delivering for the triumvirate of stakeholders; the apprentice, industry and the State.” According to the DIT/CIF report the top three barriers

to companies employing tradespeople were the discontinuous demand for work, onerous legislative obligations and the costs of direct employment of construction trades. The survey report’s authors Eoghan Ó Murchadha and Dr. Róisín Murphy of DIT, concluded from the low number of firms engaging apprentices, that residual uncertainty remains within the industry and consequently there is a reluctance to employ apprentices for up to four years. “Firstly, for some companies, the threat of entering into another recession in the future may act as a deterrent to staff recruitment, most notably apprentices,” the report states. “In addition, due to the reduction in registrations on apprenticeship programmes for several years, there now lacks the requisite number of trained construction workers to meet demand for construction output across all sectors.” The report makes several recommendations including the introduction of a scheme of ‘zero-rating’ employers PRSI contributions for those firms engaging apprentices in trades, which are identified as being in dire need of stimulus. It also suggests that a review of the duration and sequence of off-the-job phases be undertaken as part of a planned initiative to improve employer engagement. In addition, it calls for a grant system to be put in place, paid in full by the exchequer, for apprenticeship trainees for certain construction trades until the shortage has been fully addressed. It also recommends the establishment of a collaborative forum (involving all stakeholders) to actively and collectively market the construction industry as a viable and diverse career choice. This research study, which was conducted independently of the CIF, presents for the first time, new knowledge regarding trends in the construction labour market. The study is a first of its kind investigation and as such, helps bridge the existing gap in our understanding of trades and apprenticeship skills utilisation within the Irish construction industry. The majority of respondents to the survey were small to medium size enterprises employing fewer than 10 people and individually do not employ apprentices in large numbers. As a group, they represent the largest cohort within the industry and collectively employ more than any other subsection of the sector.

“Significant investment in the education, training

and apprenticeship system is

required if we are to expand

the capacity of the industry to deliver infrastructure and resolve the housing

crisis whilst also equipping the next generation with construction skills.”

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the Public Sector Magazine

We're seeking partnerships with Local Authorities to deliver 2,500 new homes ClĂşid Housing is an Approved Housing Body (AHB) that works in partnership with Local Authorities to deliver homes to people on housing waiting lists. 6,400 properties in management and more than 16,500 residents all over Ireland.

T: 01 707 2088 | E: cluid@cluid.ie | W: www.cluid.ie

Kings Laundry is the most comprehensive linen and laundry service provider in Ireland.

The company operates two facilities in Ireland. One in Dublin and second, the recently opened Cork facility, the most modern in Europe. We are the largest supplier to the Irish private healthcare and hospitality sector, servicing over two million pieces of laundry each week. We are also proud to have the Beacon Clinic as one of our clients.