The Association of Irish Regions (AIR) held an engaging and enlightening training seminar on 5-6 February 2025 in Athlone. Following from the successful events in Monaghan in 2023 and Adare in 2024, over 270 registered delegates of locally elected representatives, policy makers, regional planners, experts and stakeholders from across Ireland and Europe gathered at the Radisson Blu Hotel overlooking the River Shannon for the third AIR training seminar.
The event also marked a significant milestone as it celebrated 10 years of the three Regional Assemblies in Ireland, which were established in their current form in 2015. Since then, the Assemblies have become vehicles for both securing and brokering critical investment, strategic policymaking and are key advocates for their constituent communities (both urban and rural).
Of the event, Clare Bannon, A/Director of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly said:
“EMRA is honoured to host the 2025 AIR training seminar. It has been a privilege to bring together a significant lineup of speakers with the goal of debating and enhancing the critical role the Regions play in building a resilient, inclusive and sustainable Ireland. This seminar has provided a wonderful opportunity for all participants to come together at a pivotal time in both domestic and international politics to discuss key issues of importance as we look forward towards the next ten years of Regions in Ireland.”
The Cathaoirleach of AIR, Cllr Jimmy McClearn, Galway County Council and member of the Committee of the Regions, added:
“This event underscores the remarkable progress the Regions have made over the past decade and looks at where we can go in the future. The discussions, insights, and collaborations made possible by this timely event will undoubtedly propel us toward even greater achievements in regional development and cooperation.”
This year’s event ended with the launching of the National Census Atlas and the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) Dashboard by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD. With the Minister’s warm support, the three Regional Assemblies in collaboration with the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at Maynooth University launched these two brand new extensions to the Regional Development Monitor (RDM) which provides mapping and visualisation platforms to assist Government Departments, Regional Assemblies, Local Authorities, planners, policy makers, researchers, and citizens in gaining greater insight to aid better decision-making. First of its kind in Europe, this is a fully open, user-friendly and interactive resource that shows over 200 key indicators down to a neighbourhood-level and can demonstrate key social, economic and environmental trends across Ireland.
Of the launch, Minister Peter Burke said:
“I am proud to launch the National Census Atlas, a groundbreaking tool providing access to key data which will be instrumental in supporting evidence-based policymaking. We are the first country to develop such a resource, positioning Ireland at the forefront of international best practice. I am also delighted to launch the new Smart Specialisation Strategy Visualisation Dashboard which was developed in collaboration with my own Department. This tool will help monitor the progress of our National Smart Specialisation Strategy, monitor our regional innovation performance and enable regions to focus on their strengths. These new tools are fantastic additions to the Regional Development Monitor that I had the pleasure of launching in November 2022 and will be crucial to future policy development.”
You can read more about the launch and what this platfomr can do in this press release.
Overview of the event
Over the course of the two days, an impressive list of speakers joined delegates in discussing the key themes of multi-level governance, EU Cohesion policy, and regional spatial planning and economic development. These themes are pivotal in shaping the future of regional development and ensuring that policies are effectively implemented to benefit all regions in Ireland.
Attendees learned about the evolving space of governance in Ireland from such speakers as Dorothée Allain-Dupré, Head of the Regional Development and Multi-level Governance Division at the OECD, Senator Mark Daly, Mayor John Moran of Limerick and Elaine Lynch of the Association if Irish Local Government (AILG). Following a recorded message from Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reform in the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto, speakers of the second session including Sari Rautio, member of the High-Level Group on the Future of Cohesion policy and EPP Group Leader in the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP, Cllr Kieran McCarthy of Cork City Council and CoR Member, and Ellen Mulder-Metselaar, Director International Relations & Public Affairs, Province of Gelderland, helped attendees explore the future of Cohesion Policy post-2027 and how Regions can benefit from engaging at EU level. The third session brought together speakers such as Marie Donnelly, Chairperson of the Climate Change Advisory Council, Brendan O’Sullivan, University College Cork Centre for Planning and Education & Research, Jonathan Patchell and David Barret from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Caoimhín Ó Ciaruáin, Department of Transport, to discuss the future of planning in Ireland with specific attention to the economic, climate and transport dimensions.
The full agenda with all speakers listed can be downloaded here.
At the dinner on the 5th of February, Brian Cody, Kilkenny Hurling Manager and eleven-time All Ireland Winning Manager, treated guests to an inspirational keynote speech. He shared stories about his extraordinary hurling career, emphasising the importance of resilience in the face of setbacks, nurturing team spirit at the grassroots, and working together to make decisions for the long-term greater good.
Complementing the informative sessions and debates, the seminar featured an exhibition space showcasing some of the outstanding work and initiatives that have been undertaken by the three Regional Assemblies over the past decade. This exhibition highlighted the tangible impacts and successes achieved, demonstrating the importance of collaborative efforts in regional planning and development.