Brí­d Walsh

Postgrad Room 103,
Department of Geography
091 524411 (Ext 3380)
b.walsh11nuigalway.ie

Biography

Brid graduated with a first class Hons BA (geography and legal science) from NUIG in 2004 and an Hons LLB (Bachelor of Laws) in 2005. Following this, Brid decided to move to California to undertake an MA (2005-2007) at the geography department of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Over the course of these two years, she worked as a Climatology GSR (graduate student researcher) and a reader. Brid’s current Ph.D project is entitled ’Participatory Governance: A Best Practice Model for Effective and Inclusive Decision-Making in Wind Energy Development in Ireland’ and it is funded by the EPA/ERTDI.

Research Interests

Brid’s research interests include; renewable energy, energy and the environment, governance and environmental policy, participatory governance in environmental decision-making, institutional constraints to wind energy deployment in Ireland, institutional theory, water management in the Netherlands and the Danish wind industry. Her MA thesis examined the lessons learnt from integrated water management in the Netherlands. These were subsequently applied to a short case study on integrated coastal management in Venice, Italy.

Current Research

Title:
Participatory Governance: A Best Practice Model for Effective and Inclusive Decision-Making in Wind Energy Development in Ireland

Supervising Committee:
Prof. Micheal O Cinneide

The rapid expansion of the Irish economy has placed unprecedented pressure on the environment and the regulatory institutional framework. Public support is paramount to the successful integration of environmental policy with the development agenda. This research project will investigate public participation in environmental decision-making in Ireland with specific reference to wind energy. Brid’s case studies will include an examination of Dutch water management practices and Danish wind energy development mechanisms. Drawing on the experiences of these, the project will formulate a best practice model of participatory governance for local development, with specific reference to the exploitation of wind energy resources, in Ireland. It seeks to enhance the efficacy of planning processes through the creation of mechanisms that support and facilitate strong participatory democracy.

Local governance plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable development and supporting Ireland’s representative democracy. In contrast with many European countries, the necessity of sustainable governance and public participation is only now being fully realised in Ireland. The European Union has played a significant role in adjusting the relationship between central and local/regional authorities across member states. Council of Europe policy indicates that state powers should “improve the legal framework for participation and ensure that national legislation and regulations enable local and regional authorities to employ a wide range of participation instruments in conformity with EU documents” (VNG International, 2004). Conditions associated with the provision of EU funding stipulate a qualifying obligation to promote participatory governance in the specific Member State(s).

The OECD (2001) has highlighted the importance of effective local partnerships in addressing social, economic and employment problems in Member States. Local area partnerships have proved successful in Ireland, particularly with regard to social cohesion. Presently, civic engagement in Ireland is numerically strong; however, questions have arisen relating to the qualitative impact of such participation (Geoghegan and Powell, 2005).  Advances have been made at the national level in promoting an environmental partnership (COMHAR) but these have yet to proliferate to the local operational level. Past experiences have shown that local people often exhibit opposition to development unless they are informed of the importance and justification for particular projects and are part of the decision-making process. The planning and implementation of major environmental and infrastructural projects in Ireland during recent years have been beset by opposition and considerable controversy.  Development initiatives promoted by government agencies and by private enterprise are delayed significantly, often at considerable cost to the promoter.  Well-intentioned protestors are frustrated by what they perceive as inadequate channels through which they can express their views and influence decision-making in respect of these initiatives.  This often results in needless polarisation of stakeholders and eventual outcomes that are considered sub-optimal by many observers. When local democracy/partnerships work cohesively, a relationship of trust and confidence is fostered between the local authorities and the public. Generally speaking, if citizens’ feel that they have a political voice and influence on development plans, their belief and confidence in democratic governance at all levels is strengthened.

Participatory governance models have enjoyed success in a number of European Countries.  Denmark operates an impressive wind energy sector, which places stakeholders firmly in the centre of proceedings by virtue of financial co-operatives and allowing them to put forward alternative plans through a web GIS application (Hansen, 2004). While the Dutch utilised public meetings, reports (“Room for the Rhine Branches”), spatial planning kits, computer simulations and Geographic Information Systems throughout the course of the new ’Room for the Rhine Branches Plan’ which allows the rivers room to flood.

Developing a best practice model for involvement of stakeholders in the environmental decision-making process is of progressive importance for Ireland. The future is likely to require increased expansion of sustainable development practices, including wind energy, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability.  This research project will demonstrate the development of citizens’ juries and other methods of deliberative participation that may be profitably employed at the local level during the development of wind energy installations. Benefits of such procedures include greater political transparency, reduced opposition to further developments, improved quality of decision-making and a more efficient planning process. The model will define a path towards inclusive and effective participatory governance with regard to the environment and local development in Ireland.

Selected Readings

Agterbosch, S., Vermeulen, W. and P. Glasbergen (2004) Implementation of wind energy in the Netherlands: the importance of the social-institutional setting, Energy Policy 32, 2049-2066

Geoghegan, M., and Powell, F., Community Development, Partnership Governance
and Dilemmas of Professionalization: Profiling and Assessing the Case of Ireland,
British Journal of Social Work (2006) 26, 845-861

Glasson, J., Therivel, R. and C. Chadwick, (1999) Introduction to Environmental
Impact Assessment, 2nd Edition, UCL Press

OECD Report (2001) Local Partnership for Better Governance, Paris, OECD.
VNG International Symposium Report, Citizens’ Participation in Local Public Policy Making: European Experiences in Global Perspectives, The Hague, 8-10 November 2004.

Hansen, H., (2004) Geographic Information and Public Participation in Environmental Decision-Making, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Loughlin, J., (2004) Subnational Democracy in the European Union: Challenges and Opportunities 

Schmitter, Philippe C. 2002. Participation in Governance Arrangements. Edited by J. R. G. Grote, B., Participatory Governance. Opladen

Silva, W., et al, (2001) Room for the Rhine Branches: What the research has taught us?, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management

VNG International Symposium Report, Citizens’ Participation in Local Public Policy Making: European Experiences in Global Perspectives, The Hague, 8-10 November 2004.

Western Development Commission, To Catch the Wind: The Potential for Community Ownership of Wind Farms in Ireland (2004)

Wolsink, M. (2000) Wind Power and the NIMBY-myth: institutional capacity and the limited significance of public support, Renewable Energy 21, pp 49-64

Academic Awards

EPA Doctoral Scholarship 2007-2010
GSR 2005-2007

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