Brendan Smith urges Shared Island Unit to consult local authorities
Brendan Smith spoke on 4 Nov 2021 about the Shared Island Unit and urged it to widen engagement to local authorities and community groups. He argued that local authorities, elected people, local enterprise offices and leader programmes hold valuable cross-border experience and should be consulted directly.
Call for broader engagement
He welcomed that the Shared Island Union had signalled an interest in broadening its scope, but said the unit should go further and tap the "huge corporate knowledge, expertise and experience" in local authorities at both elected and official levels.
Groups with practical experience
He highlighted local enterprise offices, the leader programmes and county partnerships as examples of organisations that have quietly worked on cross-border initiatives and engaged with neighbouring counties north and south.
Local authorities' track record
He said local authorities have, often with very scarce resources, driven forward projects for the benefit of communities north and south, including during very difficult political times.
Call to involve elected representatives
He urged that elected people of all shades of political opinion at local level be involved and given the opportunity to speak directly to the Shared Island Unit so longstanding ideas and local expertise can be progressed.
Closing remarks
He concluded his remarks by thanking Oka Heerlich, repeating "Thank you, Oka Heerlich."
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Thank you very much. I think you, in response to your own initial comments, Cahirleach, Angle mentioned that the Shared Island Union were anxious to broaden their scope in regard to inviting views and that, and I welcome that, but I think I will go back to the huge corporate knowledge, expertise and experience that's in our local authorities, both at elected level and at official level. And they have dealt with cross-border developments at a time when there was none or in very difficult political circumstances. They have, oftentimes, with very scarce resources, drove forward projects for the benefit of communities north and south. And there are other groups as well. The local enterprise offices, the leader programmes, the different partnerships that we have in each county, they have all been working away quietly there, maybe not highlighting enough of their work that's done in engaging with communities in neighbouring counties north as far as that. So I think if you were to broaden the canvas and seeking more public opinion in regard to the work of the Shared Island Unit, I think you would go directly to people who have a particular expertise across society and across the different sectors. And I think that expertise is there. They have lived it through difficult times, they have lived it through bad times, and many of them would have good ideas that maybe have been trying to progress over the years unsuccessfully. And my opinion would be, and my opinion would be, for what it's worth, is that I would be very anxious that the knowledge and the experience and expertise of those particular groups, and particularly the elected people, of all sheds of political opinion at local level, that they are involved and given the opportunity, maybe to speak directly to yourselves as well. Thank you, Oka Heerlich. Thank you, Oka Heerlich.
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