The afternoon kicked off with a networking lunch before words of welcome from Pauline Riordan, Planning Advisor at DHLGH and Bernie Roe (above), Assistant Director for EU and Corporate Affairs at the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA). The remainder of the afternoon was broken into two main segments with a networking coffee break in between giving the attendees the opportunity to ask additional questions of the speakers and their testimonial experience and network further with their peers.
Following the words of welcome, Karl Murphy (above), National URBACT Point (NUP) for Ireland presented the URBACT programme with a specific focus on the currently open call for Transfer Networks. Following Karl’s presentation, two local authority staff members from Limerick City and County Council and Meath County Council provided testimonials on their URBACT experience to date, followed by a busy Q&A moderated by Laure Antoniotti, EMRA.
First up was Carmel Lynch (above), Senior Executive Engineer at Limerick. Carmel works on the GreenPlace network led by Wroclaw, Poland. Carmel has been involved in a past URBACT network too, Health&Greenspace. Carmel discussed their work in the ongoing GreenPlace network, working on a Green City Corridor around the old City walls. Carmel noted the importance of URBACT in helping the Council engage local participants. She spoke about some local events they held and praised the resources available via the URBACT Toolbox. Carmel noted it was the value they found in participating in Health&Greenspace which convinced them to apply to another network, their current one GreenPlace.
The second testimonial was provided by Mary D’Arcy (above), Climate Action Coordinator at Meath County Council. Mary works on the In4Green network led by Avilés, Spain. Mary has also been involved in a past URBACT network too, Global Goals for Cities. Mary endorsed the utility of the URBACT Methodology in helping develop a comprehensive and inclusive plan for Navan, engaging the community and fostering their participation. She pointed to the benefit of the peer learning received through the transnational visits and the importance of testing actions.
Following a networking coffee break, Karl Murphy, Urban Contact Point for the EUI in Ireland presented attendees an overview of both the EUI and Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU) offers. Karl's presentation included opportunities and current and past Irish examples on the pillars of capacity building: City to City Exchanges, Peer Reviews and National Capacity Building events. He also spoke of Innovative Actions and Galway City Council's recent successful award of just over €3.3 million for a project on Energy Transition. Karl spoke of the upcoming Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU) call on Compact Cities and encouraged those in the audience to consider signing up to Portico.
Aoife Sheridan (above), Senior Executive Officer at Fingal County Council provided a testimonial on her involvement in EUI City to City Exchanges. Aoife works in the Economic, Enterprise, Tourism & Cultural Development Department at Fingal and is/has been involved in multiple EU projects including URBACT. Aoife used an EUI City to City Exchange to complement work she was already undertaking as part of the EcoCore URBACT project, based in Balbriggan, County Dublin and for which they are Lead Partner. The project focuses on green transition in small cities along transport corridors. Aoife spoke about the ease and speed of the City-to-City Exchange application process and the process of matchmaking with Nokia, Finland. Nokia's best practice includes it being a Circular Economy Innovation Hub and as a Consortium of Development Company and City of Nokia. Aoife travelled to Finland with a delegation including Fingal’s Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly and noted the key learnings they took from the reciprocal visits which included brand-building, relationship building between industry and the university sector and the importance of the local authority being a driver in Green investment attraction and Green procurement. This testimonial by Aoife demonstrates the complementary nature of the URBACT and EUI programmes.
The packed afternoon session ended with a number of bilateral chats with the Contact Point and with plans for a number of other follow up appointments in the coming weeks and months as we continue to grow Irish local authority interest in URBACT and the EUI programmes.