Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has marked the 20th anniversary of the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD), praising two decades of cross-border spatial planning cooperation while calling for “deeper collaboration” over the next twenty years. Speaking at a conference in Dundalk on Thursday, the Minister highlighted the organisation’s role in bridging boundaries between North and South, framing future infrastructure around people rather than merely physical structures.
The ICLRD—a unique North-South-US partnership established in 2006—brings together academics and planning specialists from Maynooth University, Ulster University, the Centre for Cross Border Studies, and the Institute for International Urban Development. Over the past two decades, the Centre has developed frameworks for collaborative action across the island, including influential research on the Newry-Dundalk Twin City Region and spatial strategies designed to transform border areas from barriers into bridges.
Minister Commends “Shared Solutions to Shared Challenges”
Addressing delegates at the Ballymascanlon Hotel & Golf Resort, Minister Kimmins outlined the significance of the ICLRD’s work in fostering cooperation between jurisdictions. She said:
“Over the last 20 years, ICLRD’s work has strengthened relationships, informed better decision making and created space for shared solutions to shared challenges.
“ICLRD continues to bring together planners, policymakers and communities to think beyond boundaries and will continue to play a vital role in shaping a more connected, sustainable and resilient future.
“Although infrastructure is very often spoken about in terms of roads, rail, water and buildings, I see my role as Infrastructure Minister as being very much about people and believe that people are at the heart of our infrastructure as we build more resilience for the future.
“The work of my Department is therefore not simply about building infrastructure but about enabling better environments for where we live. Our work is woven into everyday life, from the safety of our roads and the resilience of our water systems to active travel, public transport and planning the connectivity that sustains communities.
“If the last 20 years have demonstrated the value of cooperation, the next 20 years must be defined by deeper collaboration– ensuring that infrastructure, planning and policy work together to improve the lives of people across this island.”
Context of Current Cross-Border Projects
The Minister’s comments come as cross-border infrastructure cooperation faces both opportunity and uncertainty. At the North South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting in Armagh earlier this month, Ministers noted ongoing work regarding the A5 Western Transport Corridor, the Ulster Canal restoration, and the Narrow Water Bridge project. A €700 million contract for the new Enterprise Rail Fleet—funded by the Irish Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the PEACEPLUS programme—was signed on 7 May, representing a tangible commitment to all-island connectivity.
However, the anniversary also highlights the evolving complexity of cross-border governance. Research indicates that Brexit and the Windsor Framework have created institutional challenges for spatial planning, particularly regarding marine spatial planning and environmental cooperation, where regulatory divergence between the UK and EU continues to develop.
Unanswered Questions and Future Challenges
While the Minister’s rhetoric emphasises collaboration and people-centred infrastructure, Thursday’s address leaves several practical considerations unaddressed. The Department for Infrastructure has not specified how it will measure the “deeper collaboration” called for over the next 20 years, nor has it outlined specific funding mechanisms to sustain research bodies like the ICLRD beyond their current project-based financing.
Additionally, the speech did not address how cross-border planning will navigate the post-Brexit regulatory landscape, where the Windsor Framework creates distinct arrangements for Northern Ireland that differ from both the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The balance between rural and urban infrastructure investment—an ongoing tension in the Department’s work—also remained unmentioned in the anniversary context.
Key questions arising from the Minister’s address include:
- How will the Department for Infrastructure quantify and measure the success of “deeper collaboration” over the next two decades?
- What specific mechanisms will be established to address planning challenges arising from the Windsor Framework and potential regulatory divergence?
- Will future cross-border spatial planning prioritise rural connectivity and digital infrastructure equally with major urban transport corridors?
- How will the ICLRD’s research function be sustained financially beyond its 20th anniversary to ensure continuity of cross-border planning expertise?
- Can the Minister provide concrete timelines for integrating the “people at the heart” philosophy into specific planning reforms currently underway?
The ICLRD anniversary conference continues throughout Thursday at the Ballymascanlon Hotel, with planners, policymakers, and academics examining how spatial strategy can respond to climate change, demographic shifts, and the ongoing need for reconciliation through shared infrastructure.