The <a href="http://www.nirsa.org" target="_blank">National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis</a> (NUI Maynooth) as ESPON Contact Point for Ireland hosted a seminar on Wednesday 28th September 2011 in Dublin city centre. The seminar focused on the development of indicators and monitoring for the National Spatial Strategy and Regional Planning Guidelines. In particular, the seminar provided an opportunity to learn from international experience as well as to review recent and current approaches to indicators and monitoring in Ireland. The seminar highlighted the importance of territorial monitoring in order to support evidence-informed decision-making, to ensure national and regional level strategic oversight and to demonstrate the ‘added value’ of an integrated spatial approach to development.
The final programme for the day is available to download <a href="http://espon-ireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ESPON-Seminar-PROGRAMME1.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a>
The slides of each presentation are available for download:
<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/Cormac_Walsh_NIRSA_Introduction.pdf">Introduction</a> - Dr. Cormac Walsh, National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/McKeown_DECLG_national%20perspective.pdf">National Policy Context and National Spatial Strategy Monitoring</a> - Gabrielle McKeown</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/Kai_Boehme_Europe.pdf">European Approaches to Indicator Development and Territorial Monitoring under the ESPON Programme</a> - Dr. Kai Böhme, Spatial Foresight</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/Cecilia_Wong_England.pdf">Measuring Spatial Planning Outcomes: The UK Experience</a> - Prof. Cecilia Wong, University of Manchester</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/Colm%20McCoy_RPGs.pdf">Spatial Indicators for the Regional Planning Guidelines</a> - Colm McCoy, Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authorities</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/O%20Donoghue_BMW_Gateway%20Development%20Index.pdf">The Gateway Development Index: Quality of Life and Balanced Regional Development</a> - Adrian O’ Donoghue, Border Midland West Regional Assembly</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.airo.ie/system/files/David%20Evers%20NL%20Territorial%20Impact%20Assessment.pdf">Territorial Impact Assessment: The Dutch Approach</a> - Dr. David Evers, Dutch Environmental Assessment Agency, Dutch ESPON Contact Point</li>
</ul>
A report on the day compiled by Cian O’ Callaghan and Cormac Walsh is available to download <a href="http://espon-ireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ESPON-Seminar-Dublin-Report-September-20111.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>ESPON Seminar Dublin Report September 2011</strong></a>