à darã¡s Rà igiã nach an Oir-Dheiscirt An tã rlã¡r Lár à ras an Chontae Srã¡id Emmet Cluain Meala Contae Thiobraid à rann à ire Teil:++353 52 6126200 R-phost: dir@sera. ie Suã omh Idirlã n: www. sera. ie Stiã rthã ir/Director Thomas Byrne Southeast Regional Authority Middle Floor County Hall Emmet Street Clonmel County Tipperary Ireland Tel:++353 52 6126200 E-mail: dir@sera. ie Website: www. sera. ie Submission on the Draft Consultation Paper for the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 February 2014 Page 2 1. Introduction As part of the ongoing process of designing a Rural Development Programme (RDP for the period 2014-2020 a set of proposed measures has been developed and published by the Department of agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM. A consultation process has been launched in relation to these measures by the DAFM and it is in this regard that the Southeast Regional Authority (SERA) makes this submission 2. The Southeast Regional Authority The SERA is one of eight regional authorities established in Ireland in 1994 at NUTS III level, under the provisions of the Local government Act 1991,(Regional Authorities Establishment) Order, 1993. The Authority comprises 35 elected members nominated by the six constituent local authorities in the region. The principal functions of SERA include -Promotion of co-ordination in the provision of public services in the region -Promotion of co-operation, joint action, etc. between local authorities, public authorities and/or others -Reviewing the overall development needs and investment priorities of the region -Preparation of statutory Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGS) and reviewing Development Plans of local authorities in the region 3. Strategic Directions Required for the RDP 2014-2020 A number of key directions have been identified by the SERA that the RDP must inter alia, address -In the context of the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) there is a clear need for the integration of development programmes on a targeted and territorial and not predominantly on a sectoral, basis. The NUTS III regions provide the appropriate territorial unit for this purpose -Complement the Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022 which have been prepared by the SERA for the Southeast Region (and by the other Regional Authorities for their respective functional areas) and the Local authority City/County Development Plans in identifying different spatial types in the region and assisting in the delivery of development and settlement policies appropriate to local conditions so as to strengthen communities and underpin economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability -Be consistent with, and complement, any future National Development Plan -Promote regional smart specialisation by aligning with the sectoral opportunities identified in the Regional Competitiveness Agenda reports developed by Forfã¡s for each NUTS III region -Achieve balance between urban and rural development in the context of achieving the Government†s stated objective of balanced regional development -Recognise the economic and social importance attaching to rural areas in many parts of the country, particularly in the Southeast, and through its strategic goals and implementation measures, assist in the fulfilment of this goal. Because of the obvious policy and project †pull†towards urban centres rural regions often do not receive proper recognition and focus. Rural areas Page 3 have a vital contribution to make to the achievement of balanced regional development and one of the strategic goals set out in the Southeast RPGS is †to maintain the character and vitality of rural areas, promote rural sustainability and conserve the region†s characteristic landscape and heritage assets†-Focus on tackling the high levels of unemployment, particularly amongst the youth population -Facilitate the provision of effective and efficient collaboration and †joined-up†thinking at and between all levels of government -Support and manage orderly change to a more environmentally sustainable multiethnic society and a knowledge-based economy -Develop programmes of ongoing and long-term support for activities that are fundamental to balanced national, regional and rural development and that cannot be delivered by the market alone -Acknowledge that some areas of Ireland have demand deficiencies with respect to certain services and that these services cannot be provided in a way that does not require indefinite, ongoing support -Provide an increased level of subsidiarity in decision-making so that areas can respond properly and effectively to their specific needs in the context of the overall parameters set by Government -Develop strategies and structures that will promote issues of integrated coherent management and implementation of programmes and that will not merely focus on specific investment programmes alone 4. Implementation/Administrative Requirements Most responsibility for successful implementation of the RDP 2014-2020 will rest with the various public and semi-state bodies charged with the provision of the programmes in the RDP. Ongoing, timely and relevant evaluation and monitoring will be required to ensure that the necessary progress is being made. Better integration of implementation at regional and local levels is required in order to avoid overlap and duplication (even interagency competition) of measure implementation. There should be proper liasion/consultation with local bodies, such as Local authorities County Enterprise Boards (to be known in future as Local Enterprise Offices) and others In terms of the regional role in this implementation process, the following points are made -A core objective of Government policy thinking is balanced †regional developmentâ€. The NSS represents the Government†s roadmap for achieving this objective. The NUTS III regional socioeconomic strategy and RPGS have an important role in the implementation and delivery of the NSS. For this reason the new RDP must have a stronger NUTS III spatial dimension to its programmes. Sectoral programming, by its nature, will not allow for a meaningful evaluation of the achievement of balanced regional development Moreover, since one aspect of development affects another, development must be managed spatially as well as on a programme-by-programme basis The established NUTS III territorial designations provide the natural regional level to accomplish this. There is a need for a clear, unambiguous designation of the NUTS III Regions as the practical level for spatial programming in the new RDP Page 4 -As a guarantee of the spatial dimension, explicit targets at NUTS III regional level should be developed and incorporated into the new RDP (in tandem with sectoral specific indicators. The spatial indicators themselves should have the flexibility to incorporate diverse approaches to the specific needs of different territories and the integrative needs of specific target groups -There is a need to radically improve the information provided on programmes/measures and spending in the new RDP. For the new programmes information must be provided in a timely fashion and in a manner that is relevant and that facilitates effective monitoring and evaluation of progress and outcomes. More information structured on a NUTS III regional/NUTS IV county spatial basis is required. This information data and reports are needed more promptly and must be produced more speedily. This should include progress updates on projects from implementing bodies as well as quantitative data -The levels of bureaucracy and administrative burden on beneficiaries within the RDP need to be reduced further and eliminated 5. Conclusion The Regional Authority, would welcome the opportunity, and is available, to meet with you to further discuss its submission and, in particular, the role that the regional level can play in the delivery and implementation of the RDP 2014-2020

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