CENTRE for CROSS BORDER STUDIES

Generating real benefits through practical cross-border cooperation in Ireland

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You are here > Home > Research > Cross Border Mobility 30 July 2010

Obstacles to Cross-Border Mobility

In 2000 the Centre for Cross Border Studies was commissioned to undertake a preliminary study of the bureaucratic and other obstacles hindering the movement of people across the border to live and work, for the North/South Ministerial Council.

Subsequently the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers in Belfast and Indecon Economic Consultants in Dublin to prepare a major report on the broad range of obstacles which hinder or constrain people form moving across the border in either direction to live, work or to study. Among the areas examined were taxation, social security, pensions, health services, childcare, housing, transport, education and training, employment law and recruitment practices, telecoms, banking and insurance. As part of this main research process the Centre organised a number of public consultation meetings in the border region.

Prior to considering the 50 recommendations of the final report, the NSMC commissioned the Centre to complete a report on the public feedback to the PricewaterhouseCoopers/ Indecon Obstacles to Cross-border Mobility.

At the NSMC Plenary Meeting held on 28 June 2002 in Armagh, the Council considered recommendations on the difficultly of accessing information on issues related to North/South mobility and agreed to establish a website to act as a centralised point of entry to the existing cross-border mobility information provision in both jurisdictions. As a prelude to the development of this website the Centre was asked to conduct a comprehensive review of current arrangements in the South for providing users with cross-border mobility information.

See the preliminary report, public meetings 1, public meetings 2, final report press release, final report and appendices .