Delivering a Prosperity Process: Opportunities in North/South Public Service Provision

Michael D’Arcy, an independent advisor and consultant with a longstanding interest in North/South economic and business policy development, analyses opportunities in cross-border public service provision.

The report is in eight parts – The Case for Sharing Public Service Provision, Supporting Shared Public Service Provision Projects, Economic Collaboration in the Border Region, Supporting Job Creation, Health Services, Third level education, Infrastructure Upgrades and Mutual benefit in an EU Context.

Michael’s report combines the evidence of recent research and a series of informal conversations with senior public officials, academics and business leaders in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

All participants agreed that opportunities for cross border co-operation in the provision of public services were under-utilised. The rationale for this consensus was mainly economic and grew out of the current economic crisis, which has resulted in administrations across the EU undertaking severe budgetary adjustment programmes.

The challenge is to deliver operational economies that protect the quality of public services to citizens. This is a shared strategic objective, as is the need to stimulate economic growth that produces jobs.

Practical suggestions were identified in this Study for Ireland and Northern Ireland to combine their strengths and work together, in circumstances where it is mutually beneficial to do so. Successfully tackling economic challenges is central to embedding peace in Northern Ireland.

The Study concludes that success in facilitating job creation and more joined-up delivery of public services (such as health, higher education, energy and water) would provide a greater element of long term sustainability than has been achieved to date.

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