Impact of devolution on cross-border
commerce
Aidan Gough and Eoin Magennis
(InterTradeIreland)
IBIS seminar, 6 February 2009
“cold denying silence” that
descended on this island for too long
in the past century and resulted in a
process of “friction and frission”
Conor Brady
Economics and Peacemaking
‘Unless you achieve economic transformation,
you can’t have a stable society.’
Sir George Quigley (March 2007)
‘Economic progress is crucial to the
political forces that favour peace’
Portland Trust (May 2007)
British Subvention to Northern Ireland
British Subvention to Northern Ireland
2250
2000
1750
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
0
British Subvention to
Northern Ireland
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Employment in the Public Sector
Employment in the Public Sector
170
160
150
140
Employment in the
Public Sector
130
120
110
100
90
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Participation Rates in Further and Higher
Education
Unemployment in Northern Ireland
Unemployment Rate
300
250
200
Unemployment Rate
150
100
50
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Troubles Related Deaths
Total Troubles - Related deaths
650
550
450
Total Troubles Related deaths
350
250
150
50
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
The Belfast Agreement, 1998.
Six Cross-Border Bodies
InterTradeIreland
“A Body to exchange information and co-ordinate work
on trade, business development and related matters, in
areas where the two administrations specifically
agree it would be in their mutual interest.”
Institutional Arrangements
Northern Ireland
Assembly & Executive
North-South
Ministerial Council
Irish Government
InterTradeIreland
Department of
Enterprise, Trade &
Investment
Department of
Enterprise, Trade &
Employment
InterTradeIreland
1998
NOW
Political
Economic
Cross Border
All Island
Trade
Competitiveness
Cross-Border Trade Statistics
Cross-Border Tourism Statistics
700
600
500
Visitors
400
Going North
Going South
300
200
100
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Year
2005
2006
2007
Cross-Border Traffic Volumes
25000
Nos of vehicles
20000
15000
M1/N1 at
Ravensdale
10000
N2 at Aughnacloy
5000
0
2001
2002
2003
2005
2004
Years
2006
2007
2008
Cross-Border Bus and Rail Travel Statistics
Nos of passengers (,000s)
1200
1000
800
Going North
600
Going South
400
200
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Cross-Border Student Flows
5000
4500
4000
Number of Students
3500
3000
North - South
2500
South - North
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2000/01
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
Year
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
Cross-Border Public and EU Investment Flows
500
450
400
350
EU programmes
300
€m
Operational Programmes
North/South Bodies
250
Areas of Co-operation
Public Sector Co-operation
200
TOTALS
150
100
50
0
2002
2003
2004
Years
2005
2006
Cross-Border Opportunities in the
Current Economic Climate
• Create gains in trade and investment;
• Generate economies of scale;
• Deliver more efficient and effective public
services;
• Promote wider economic benefits
• Reduce market failures
• Open new or ‘missing’ markets
• Deliver more balanced regional development