CENTRE for CROSS BORDER STUDIES

As part of the integrative work of a cross-border observatory, the Centre will research the development of a pilot Impact Assessment Toolkit for practical, mutually beneficial cross-border cooperation in Ireland. Impact assessment is a continuous process to help the policy-maker fully think through and understand the consequences of possible and actual interventions. It has been used particularly in the health and environmental sectors in Ireland, North and South, but not until now in cross-border cooperation.

The aim of this package of four closely inter-related research projects is to find ways of understanding and increasing the accessibility, size, transparency, competitiveness and profitability of Irish border region markets in a context where peace and normality have finally arrived in Northern Ireland and the Southern Border Region. The added element of an international economic recession has been added since the application was first written in 2007. This overall project – in which the Centre will be partnered by InterTradeIreland – will begin in autumn 2009. Tenders for research applications will be issued in early summer 2009.

The benefits of harmonising cross-border planning in specific regions along the Irish border is something that has already been recognised by both administrations (e.g. in the North-West Gateway initiative). On a small island like Ireland the complexity of spatial planning – and its relationship with economic development, social policy and infrastructure – is increased by the border’s existence. In the next five years local authorities in Northern Ireland and the Southern border region will have to take on extra responsibilities for planning under the Reform of Public Administration in the North and new regional planning guidelines in the South.

This project - in which Centre will be partnered by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland - will consist of two linked research studies on modelling hospital service planning on a border region basis, and on the democratisation of health care. The first study, which will build on a piece of initial desk research completed in late 2007, will examine the number, size, composition and possible locations of the hospitals that would be required in the future if the planning of acute services in the border region was on the basis of population needs rather than jurisdictional frontiers. It will work towards developing a prototype model of cross-border health service accessibility driven by geographical considerations around the distribution of patients (potential need and demand); the configuration of hospitals North and South (potential supply based on bed numbers and specialisms); and the transport network (modelling of accessibility based on travel time).

Phase Two will allow for a much more systematic dissemination and marketing of information and public feedback on cross-border mobility issues, assisted by an active and enlarged User Group drawn from a wide range of citizens advice, employment advice, local authority, business and community organisations. Performance will be reviewed against agreed targets for information content, along with regular statistical website reports to evaluate demand and usage. An annual survey will test whether the interests of users are being matched and how well the various website features are working.

The immediate aim of this project is to build on the experience of the successful first phase of the North/South Student-Teacher Exchange project (2002-2005) in order to provide evidence, through a fourth year of exchanges feeding into an in-depth longitudinal research study, of the need to 'mainstream' a system of trainee teachers doing a key part of their teaching practice in schools in the other Irish jurisdiction. The longer-term aim is to create a cohort of young teachers, North and South, who have had experience in working in primary schools in the other jurisdiction and will thus be able to influence future generations of pupils in prejudice reduction and greater mutual understanding, both vital for peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland.

For most people contact with the health service on the island of Ireland begins and ends in primary care mainly during the working day. People also contact primary care services during weekday evenings, weekends, bank and public holidays – known as Out-Of-Hours care. Not only do GP Out-Of-Hours services provide essential medical cover during the larger part of the week, they also act as a vital means of managing demand on the rest of the health service.

The Centre for Cross Border Studies in partnership with FGS McClure Watters have been appointed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) to produce a Common Chapter (North-South) Activity Report for 2006. The Common Chapter forms part of the National Development Plan for Ireland and the Structural Funds Plan for Northern Ireland, and aims to increase mutually beneficial cooperation between both parts of Ireland.

Mental Health is currently a key priority of the two governments on the island. There remains a great need for research and information which can inform planning and practice in the mental health services on the island.

The Irish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building (2008-2011) brings together all nine universities on the island of Ireland and four universities in Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi* in a unique, high-level partnership to develop a coordinated approach to Research Capacity Building (RCB) in higher education institutions. The IAPRCB aims: 1. To build the capacity for development research in Irish and Northern Irish universities 2. To build the capacity for research in the four African universities in health and education, and the cross-cutting themes of ICT and gender.