Brian Harvey, Anna Lee, Mary Fogarty and Marian Harkin
are among the guest speakers lined up for a conference on local and community
development to be held on Wednesday, October 21st, in University College Cork.
 |
| Dr Carol Power |
"The conference is titled 'The
Changing Landscape of Local and Community Development in Ireland: Policy and
Practice' and "will be of interest to community activists seeking positive
change," says Dr. Carol Power,
Centre for Co-operative Studies, UCC.
Organised by UCC researchers at the Centre
for Co-operative Studies with colleagues from the university's Civil Society
Research Cluster, it will examine how policy and practice is changing in
relation to local and community development in Ireland.
Together, they began a research project
prompted by the Local Government Reform Act (2014) which seeks to achieve
better co-ordination between local government and local development through a
process of alignment. This is having far-reaching implications for
those working at the coalface of local and community development.
The conference forms part of their
research project.
The UCC researchers will be joined by the
following high-profile speakers:
 |
| Brian Harvey |
 |
| Anna Lee |
- Brian Harvey, author of a landmark report
on the impact of austerity on the community and voluntary sector will provide
an overview of recent changes in the sector.
- Anna Lee, who has worked in the
not-for-profit sector for many years, will present the view of community
development policy in Ireland from the frontline. Anna is former CEO of
South Dublin County Partnership and currently chairs Volunteer Ireland.
 |
| Mary Fogarty with Maeve O'Hair |
- Mary Fogarty, who with her neighbour
Maeve O’Hair pioneered the Loughmore Co-operative Shop and Tea Rooms in Co.
Tipperary, will talk about her experience of setting up a
co-operative. Theirs is one of many examples one finds
around Ireland of community-led initiatives that seek to combat issues such as
rural isolation and lack of services.
- The day will close with an address by
Marian Harkin, Independent MEP.
Admission
to the conference is free but, due to venue capacity, you are best advised to
register in advance by emailing: cpower@ucc.ie
