Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly

Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly
Radom1967 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly
Established title	Established
Established date	2015
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	Ireland
Seat type	Headquarters
Seat	Drogheda
Leader title	Chair

Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly is one of the three statutory regional assemblies in Ireland responsible for regional planning, European funding coordination, and spatial strategy implementation across counties in the eastern and midland part of the state. It succeeded predecessor bodies created under the Local Government Act reforms and works alongside national ministries, regional authorities, and local councils to align regional policy with instruments such as the National Planning Framework, European Regional Development Fund, and Common Agricultural Policy. The Assembly engages with local authorities, civic partners, and transnational networks to deliver projects in transport, infrastructure, and urban development.

History

The Assembly was formed following the abolition of the eight former regional authorities in the wake of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 and the implementation of the reorganisation envisaged by the Programme for Government (Ireland) and the National Spatial Strategy 2002–2022. Its creation in 2015 followed consultations involving the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, county and city councils including Dublin City Council, Kildare County Council, and Meath County Council, and reflected practices from the European Committee of the Regions, the United Nations Regional Development frameworks, and precedents set by the Scottish Government regional planning mechanisms. The Assembly’s remit has evolved through engagement with the European Commission, national planning reviews tied to the Project Ireland 2040 agenda, and intergovernmental dialogues with bodies such as the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

Functions and Powers

The Assembly coordinates regional strategic planning shaped by the National Planning Framework and liaises with funding instruments including the European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund Plus, and elements of the Cohesion Fund. It prepares a regional spatial and economic strategy aligning with priorities set by the Department of Transport, the Roads Act 1993 insofar as regional planning informs transport corridors like those in the Greater Dublin Area, and statutory development plan reviews by county councils such as Wicklow County Council. The Assembly also acts as a monitoring authority for EU programmes similar to arrangements overseen by the European Investment Bank and the European Court of Auditors standards, and provides an adjudicatory forum in partnership with agencies like An Bord Pleanála on strategic development guidance.

Governance and Membership

Governance is exercised through an assembly of appointed members drawn from elected councillors of constituent local authorities such as South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council, and Kildare County Council, alongside representatives from social partners including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, chambers like the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and educational institutions such as Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University. The Assembly’s structure mirrors principles promoted by the OECD and the Council of Europe in multilevel governance and comprises statutory committees, an executive directorate, and thematic working groups that interface with agencies like Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Chairpersons and vice-chairs are elected from the membership and operate under standing orders influenced by practices in bodies such as the European Committee of the Regions.

Regional Planning and Spatial Strategy

The Assembly prepares the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) which coordinates growth management, housing delivery, and infrastructure investment across city regions including Dublin, Kilkenny, and Carlow. The RSES aligns with the National Planning Framework and articulates spatial priorities relevant to major transport projects such as the DART Expansion Programme, rail corridors promoted by Irish Rail, and national road upgrades under the National Development Plan (Ireland). It interfaces with local development plans of counties like Louth and Wexford, heritage protections championed by Heritage Council (Ireland), and environmental assessments demanded by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) and the Habitats Directive compliance processes.

Funding and Budget

The Assembly administers and coordinates EU structural funding streams including allocations from the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund Plus for the region, often channeling grants through local authorities and partners such as Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta where relevant. Its budgetary oversight relates to contributions and grant allocations from the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and audit requirements consonant with standards applied by the Comptroller and Auditor General (Ireland). Financial management follows public procurement rules akin to the Public Spending Code (Ireland) and reporting regimes required by the European Commission and Department of Finance (Ireland).

Projects and Initiatives

Initiatives include spatial investment programmes supporting metropolitan area development in the Greater Dublin Area, sustainable transport schemes linked to Transport Infrastructure Ireland priorities, regional enterprise supports coordinated with Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices, and climate resilience projects aligning with the National Adaptation Framework (Ireland). The Assembly participates in transnational networks such as Interreg and collaborations with regions like East of England and Wales under EU cross-border cooperation models, and supports urban regeneration work in partnership with bodies like Housing Agency (Ireland) and civic groups including the Irish Council for Social Housing.

Category:Regional assemblies in Ireland