Documents

This paper was prepared by the NESC Secretariat to support the deliberations of the LEEF High Level Working Group on Collective Bargaining which was established on the 30th of March 2021. While recognising the complexity of the issues being addressed by the Working Group there is an awareness of the need to put in place an employment relations regime that is “fit for purpose” and capable of meeting the needs of a 21st century economy, labour market and society. This Paper contends that the work of the High Level Group represents an opportunity to begin to review and reframe collective bargaining and industrial relations as a key policy instrument for supporting a good jobs economy, enhancing productivity and promoting fairness within the labour market.

NESC has been undertaking a Shared Island research programme to contribute to building a shared knowledge base and understanding about possible ways in which greater co-operation can emerge across a number of economic, social and environmental areas on the island of Ireland. As part of this work a place-based inquiry was undertaken in the North West to explore in-depth the ways in which co-operation worked, the barriers and the enablers. The focus was on the lived experience of people in the border areas, with the aim of exploring two integrated thematic issues – sustainability and connectivity. To gain a more in-depth understanding of the issues and elements of co-operation in the North West four online focus groups were held in September/October 2021, facilitated by Caitríona Mullan, on: Good Jobs; Green Transformation; Poverty and Mental Health; and Mechanisms for Co-operation. Approximately 60 individuals from across a range of civic, public, community/voluntary, and business sector organisations in the North West participated in these focus groups.

Delivering effective regional development in a context of decarbonising the economy is not just challenging economically but raises the issue of social justice and equity. Ensuring a ‘just transition’ that appropriately addresses the needs and harnesses the potential of particular communities is therefore critical. This research paper explores placebased approaches to just transition in Ireland and the potential for adopting co-creation methodologies to identifying and implementing pathways to change. It draws on three case studies to understand perspectives on, and pathways towards, more climate-resilient and equitable futures in three areas outside the major metropolitan areas.

This research from the National Economic and Social Council reviews international experience of emergencies and the Covid-19 pandemic, looks at examples of Ireland’s response to the pandemic, and identifies five key lessons for Irish public policy. These are: Vulnerability is complex and context-specific, meaning pinpointing and managing vulnerability are crucial. Stakeholder networks and experts shape outcomes, so the policy system must stay deeply engaged. Real-time evidence, when used alongside longer-run data, has the power to transform policymaking, suggesting that the analytical activity which aided in the pandemic response can be applied in other areas of public policy. Adapting the policy world to the data world requires significant effort, meaning that governance, privacy, access, confidentially and data-sharing issues must be prioritised and addressed with urgency. Communication and trust are critical for responding to crises. Policymakers must improve their capacity to reach out, to listen actively, and to communicate clearly. They must also work to ensure their decisions deliver, and are seen to deliver, for society.

This research looks at how national well-being frameworks have been incorporated into budgeting a nd policy-making processes in New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. It also looks at the approach taken under Ireland’s Better Outcomes: Brighter Futures – The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, 2014-2020 (BOBF). BOBF is a sectoral policy framework, but has similar elements to those found in national well-being frameworks. Information was gathered through literature reviews and interviews with those working to design, implement and/or monitor the various well-being frameworks.

As part of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative the Department of the Taoiseach requested NESC to undertake research and to produce a comprehensive report on the Shared Island, to inform the development of the Shared Island Initiative as a whole of Government priority. This report is the culmination of research on the Shared Island that NESC undertook over 2021. This involved more than 100 meetings with practitioners, policy makers, academics and experts from a diverse range of institutions across the whole island, detailed work in the North West including four focus groups, a public consultation on climate and biodiversity, plus a number of NESC Shared Island publications on the economy, regional development, good jobs, climate and biodiversity, poverty and mental health. The report makes specific recommendations across five key areas in relation to the economy and investment, social policy, climate and biodiversity, wellbeing measurement and data co-ordination.

As part of the Shared Island research project this report from the NESC Secretariat looks at current and possible future co-operation around mental health on the island of Ireland, North and South. The issue of mental health has become increasingly visible in the public arena over the last two years. The COVID crisis has brought with it a range of different issues that have had the potential to negatively impact on mental health. As many of the concerns and policies around mental health are shared by the two jurisdictions, it is a good time to look at how increased dialogue and co-operation on some aspects of mental health could bring benefits to the wider island population. There are a number of examples of successful and current co-operation in the mental health sector. Some of it is led by the community and voluntary sector, often supported by European funding. In the border counties, there is also evidence of substantial informal interaction between services in the two jurisdictions. This report finds that there is an appetite for more formal settings for co-operation and that there could be substantial value in building on current initiatives as well as looking at new areas of co-operation.

As part of the Shared Island research project this report from the NESC Secretariat shares knowledge and lessons in combatting poverty in the island of Ireland. The report finds that poverty is a concern for both parts of the island and both jurisdictions have an anti-poverty strategy or is in the process of preparing one, as well as policies and programmes to support disadvantaged groups and areas. A key learning from these programmes and initiatives is the importance of state, community, and voluntary bodies working together to address disadvantage, whilst listening to and drawing on the knowledge and experience of people living in these local areas. While cooperation across the island on addressing poverty is limited there are some initiatives that support this. The future challenge is to build on these initiatives by sharing knowledge and lessons to work towards the reduction of poverty on both parts of the island.

Mistral is an innovative training and support network for 15 doctoral researchers in relation to renewable energy and social acceptance operating in 6 countries: United Kingdom, Portugal, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland. It is a three-year project funded from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under a Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant. NESC is a partner in the MISTRAL programme. The network and overall project is led by Council Member, Prof Geraint Ellis, Queens University Belfast. NESC has provided a secondment opportunity for two doctoral researchers with posts in QUB. Senni Määttä was seconded to NESC as a visiting researcher from September to October 2021. The paper produced during the secondment explores stakeholder views on micro-generation as expressed through the Irish Micro-Generation Scheme consultation process. It focuses on prosumers and microgeneration as part of the active participation of individuals in the low-carbon transition. The paper’s findings can help to inform the development of microgeneration policy with the final scheme, but it also provides insights into the value and challenges of public policy consultation.

This report from the NESC Secretariat examines the economic features of regions across the island of Ireland, north and south. It is one of series of reports being published by NESC this year on the Shared Island. The report finds that across a range of variables for Ireland, there is a broad division between north and west of the country and the south and east. For the most part the more prosperous areas are south of a line between Galway and Dundalk. Within Northern Ireland, there is something of an east–west division: the more affluent areas are clustered around Belfast. The report also considers regional development issues. It points to the opportunity for deeper collaboration to promote balanced regional development on the island including the border area.

Forming part of a wider body of work on a Shared Island for the Department of the Taoiseach, this report by the National Economic and Social Council examines the particular challenges and opportunities of climate change and biodiversity loss across the island. It draws on an extensive consultation process with stakeholders, north and south. In this report, the Council has identified that there is a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities; and of the need to accept that strengthening cooperation takes time and requires public engagement and participation. This report shows that there is an ambition to collaborate across the island to deal with climate and biodiversity in an integrated, positive and imaginative manner. It also points to the deep, shared experience that provides a solid foundation to deliver on this ambition.

The Dialogue Forum with Voluntary Organisations was established by the Minister of Health in 2019 with the aim of building a stronger working relationship between the State and the voluntary healthcare sector for the benefit of patients and service users and to facilitate regular dialogue with the voluntary sector on future policy and strategic developments. In June 2020, the Dialogue Forum commissioned the NESC Secretariat to explore the healthcare system’s response to Covid-19 crisis. Drawing on a series of qualitative interviews with senior policy makers and practitioners this study highlights how the healthcare system responded to the challenge of protecting citizens, in particular the most vulnerable, in a flexible, innovative and collaborative manner. The paper outlines many examples of organisational change and innovation in the way services were delivered and argues that they represent an unprecedented level of collaboration and cooperation between the state and voluntary organisations. The paper highlights that in the midst of a national emergency public and voluntary organisations forged an experimental and dynamic partnership, based on intensive engagement, open information exchange, and collective problem solving and deliberation linked to tangible action.