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Dublin City Promoting Economic Development

2018-2021

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Promoting Economic Development

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Dublin City: Promoting Economic Development 2018-2021

The Economic Development Office has produced this document to assist with the implementation of

a range of strategic processes which have been developed to assist the office in its role as promoters

of Economic Development for Dublin City.

The adaptive nature of these processes mean the we will be able to identify emergent strategies and

assist the Council in remaining resilient to external shocks through a range of policy measures and

interventions which can make a difference to the lives of those who live work visit and invest in

Dublin City.

This strategy is a living document and can be added to, amended or adapted, depending on changing

economic conditions or with the introduction of new resources or responsibilities. It will be

accompanied by an annual action plan which will detail the work to be undertaken by the office each

year and assist in coordinating the resources of Dublin City Council.

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Contents:

1. Forward: Chief Executive Officer .................................................................................................... 6

2. Our Strategy: 2018-2021 ................................................................................................................. 7

3. The Pillars of Economic Development: ........................................................................................... 9

4. Future Projects: 2018-2021 .......................................................................................................... 11

5. Our Role & Resources: .................................................................................................................. 14

6. Resource Allocation & Project apprasial: ...................................................................................... 18

7. Communications Plan ................................................................................................................... 22

Appendix A: National & Local Policy Context ....................................................................................... 26

Appendix B: High Level Objectives for 2018 ......................................................................................... 35

Appendix C: Dublin City SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................ 36

Appendix E: Economic Networks: (TBC) ............................................................................................... 37

Appendix F: Potential areas of research: (TBC) .................................................................................... 38

Appendix G: Staffing Resources ............................................................................................................ 39

Appendix H: EDO Action Plan 2018 (TBC) ............................................................................................. 40

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1. Forward: Chief Executive Officer

Dublin remains one of the most vibrant Cities in the World, blending a unique mix of culture, history

and enterprise which adds to a rich tapestry of life here and attracts millions to live, work, visit and

invest in our City. As the engine which drives the national economy, supporting entrepreneurship,

indigenous SME’s and International Investment at Local, Regional and National level, is critical to

maintaining our success. The changing dynamic of what the “City of the Future” looks like and how

we will interact with it are critical. Responding to the changing nature of work and employment,

developing a smart public realm and sustainable transport infrastructure, and a City that meets the

needs of its citizens, residents, visitors and students, all need to be addressed.

In Dublin City Council, we are responsible for providing a wide range of Local Government services

such as Planning, Parks, Housing, Waste, Libraries, and the Environment. However, the promotion of

economic development is emerging as one of our key functions, as it has the potential for a

significant positive impact on everything that we deliver. Through our work with the Economic

Development and Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee and the Economic Development &

Enterprise Office, we will continue to engage and collaborate with key stakeholders at local and

national levels to champion the needs of the City and benchmark our progress against other

comparable international Cities.

This strategy is designed to focus the resources of the Economic Development Office into areas

where we can make the greatest positive impact for the City and assist in directing projects, research

and policy. The strategy will be accompanied by an annual action plan to coordinate the activities

and objectives at local and national level and will be used to measure and report on how economic

activity and resources are contributing to addressing existing and future challenges and in improving

the experience of citizens and visitors to this great capital City.

Owen P. Keegan

Chief Executive Officer

Dublin City Council

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2. Our Strategy: 2018-2021

To support a City of opportunity that encourages an inclusive sustainable growing economy for all.

The Economic Development Office (EDO) of Dublin City Council has responsibility for the promotion

of economic development in Dublin City. Our vision above sets out our overarching objective, which

is fundamentally to use our resources, knowledge and expertise, to make a difference for those who

live, work, visit and invest in Dublin City. Our mission is;

To support initiatives that will improve the quality of people's lives

To enhance the ability of the City to attract and retain world class talent through Placemaking.

To promote Dublin as an attractive place to live, work, visit and invest.

To foster a culture of creativity and innovation in a globally connected City.

To engage with economic stakeholders to maximise the alignment and impact of resources.

We will achieve this by engaging, promoting, facilitating and collaborating with internal and external

stakeholders, across a specific range of interventions designed to deliver on this vision. These

interventions will be identified and assessed with reference to 4 pillars of Economic Development,

which have been selected to offer clarity and focus to our role. These pillars were identified

following consultation with a range of stakeholders and the completion of a SWOT analysis.

Unlike other approaches to economic development, our interventions will largely be project based

and seek to achieve specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (SMART) outcomes.

Economic Stakeholder Engagement

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Projects undertaken by EDO will be assessed basses on their fit with the 4 pillars, their ability to

“make a difference” and their potential benefits. Where possible, attempts will be made to assess

the economic impact of projects in terms of job creation, value added & societal benefits.

In addition to these projects we will carry out or commission research which informs our

understanding and clarity of the 4 pillars, where we have identified gaps in existing research or

where it is not sufficient information to inform decision making and policy creation.

It is also our intention to focus elements of our recourses into advocating for and promoting a large

scale project which will have significant impact on both the local and national economy. The type of

project will include promoting the economic impact of Strategic Development Zones and Local Area

Plans such as the Poolbeg SDZ and the Cherry Orchard LAP, major transport infrastructure such as

the Metro North Project and the redevelopment of Dublin Port and the promotion of innovative

sectoral clusters such as the Maker-Space project in DCU Alpha, the Educational cluster at DIT

Grangegormon and the med-tech cluster surrounding the proposed James Street Medical Campus.

In the case of these projects EDO will act, not as the lead, but by adding our experience, knowledge

and expertise to further enhance the prospects of success of the projects by working closely with the

all stakeholders to add a coherent narrative to the project.

The EDO is responsible for delivering & reporting on a range of policy initiatives at local and national

levels including, the Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) The Dublin City Development Plan and

The Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs

The EDO reports into the Assistant City Manager for Culture, Recreation & Economic Services of

Dublin City Council. The EDO also report to and is responsible for the management the Economic

Development, Enterprise & International Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).

This strategy is designed to focus the resources of the Economic Development Office into areas

where we can make the greatest positive impact for the City and assist in directing projects, research

and policy. The strategy will be accompanied by an annual action plan to coordinate the activities

and objectives at local and national level and will be used to measure and report on how economic

activity and resources are contributing to addressing existing and future challenges and in improving

the experience of citizens and visitors to this great capital City.

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3. The Pillars of Economic Development:

Following a series of workshops, consultations and the completion of a SWOT analysis1, the

Economic Development Office have identified 4 key pillars which encapsulate our Vision and Mission

for the City and assist in categorising the areas where we will focus our resources.

1. Human Development:

Human development is the process of enlarging people’s choices. Their three essential choices are to

lead a long and healthy life, to acquire knowledge and to have access to the resources needed for a

decent standard of living. Additional choices, highly valued by many people, range from political,

economic and social freedom to opportunities for being creative and productive and enjoying

personal self—respect and guaranteed human rights. (OECD)

2. Placemaking & Clusters:

Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces.

It capitalises on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of creating

public spaces that promote people's health, happiness, and well being. A business cluster is a

concentration of interconnected enterprise, suppliers, and associated institutions in a particular

field. Clusters are considered to increase the productivity with which companies can compete,

nationally and globally.

3. Promotion & Investment:

The promotion and investment component of economic development is critical for the success of

any City and this is even truer for Dublin given the open nature of its economy. Dublin City Council

can play a significant role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into the City by supporting the

activities of national agencies such as the IDA. Dublin City Council will actively promote the City as a

key international destination for business and enterprise though promotional tools such as the

Dublin.ie platform and the Dublin Economic Monitor. We will also to develop a concierge services for

Dublin to provide potential investors with key information and contacts for the City.

1 Please see appendix B for details of the SWOT analysis.

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4. Innovation & Transformation:

To be called an innovative, an idea must be replicable at an economical cost and must satisfy a

specific need. It involves deliberate application of information, imagination and initiative in deriving

greater or different values from resources. The Economy of Dublin is constantly Transforming and

evolving as we shift to new patterns of living and working such as Smart Cities and the Gig Economy.

These societal shifts will result in disruptive solutions emerging to meet our changing needs and the

City eco-system will need to be able to adapt to meet these transformations.

Figure 2 below represents a categorisation of sample projects identified by EDO under the pillars of

Economic Development.

Human Development Placemaking &

Clusters Promotion & Investment

Innovation & Transformation

Talent & Skills City of Villages Strategy FDI Smart Dublin

Job Creation Public Realm improvement Investment Start-up Dublin

Education Public Parks & Spaces Influencing Accelerators & Incubators

Wellbeing Community Development Concierge Service DCU Techshop

Culture Wayfinding City Profile Universities & HEI’s

Belonging Movement Research The gig Economy

Recreation Infrastructure dublin.ie STEAM

Creativity Networking Dublin Economic Monitor IOT & Big Data

Diversity Bio-Diversity Dublin Globe EuroCities

Enterprise Enterprise Sectors Accessing EU Funding The Circular Economy

Local Enterprise Week Public Markets Enterprise Europe Network FutureScope 2018

Figure 1: Sample Projects under the 4 Pillars of Economic Development

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4. Future Projects: 2018-2021

During the course of 2016 and 2017 the EDO has familiarised itself with the Economic

Development eco-system in Dublin City and engaged with a wide range of stakeholders to

deliver various policy initiatives, projects and research documents. With this in mind we

have identified a number of potential projects under each of the Pillars which we are

confident that we can deliver on, based on our knowledge, resource capacity and expertise.

1. Human Development:

Talent Retention: (Research, Local Economic & Community Plan)

How cities compete for Talent Retention is a key competitive factor for Cities who are all drawing

from a limited global talent pool. The Global Talent Competitive Index (GTCI) 2017 ranked Dublin

26th out of 27 EU Cities for talent retention. The Economic Office will research how the City can

improve its talent retention strategies and will disseminate the recommendations to stakeholders.

Future of Work (Free Lancers Forum, FutureScope)

The Gig Economy, freelancing, the independent sector is being described as the future way of

working. Its definition is still emerging. The ‘FreeLancers Forum’ is an event that will take place in

2018 to explore this reality, and to create networking and support for those who are part of the Gig

economy.

Well Being: (Dementia Supports)

People friendly environments are now a key part of economic development policies. A workshop

will be held to explore how to create a Dementia friendly environment in our villages, supported by

business, to benefit the lives of those suffering from Dementia and their carers’. This will also

become a Smart Cities SBIR challenge with a village identified to trial the concept.

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2. Placemaking and Clusters

Enterprise Space: (Research, Dublin Action Plan for Jobs)

The diversity of the start-up community adds vibrancy and creativity to the city which is under threat

due to increasing rents. An enterprise space review is being undertaken in Dublin City that will be

presented at the 2017 European Co-working Conference. There is scope to increase affordable

working space capacity in the city and to support specialist start up spaces and clusters.

A City of Villages: (Local Economic & Community Plan)

The Local Economic and Community Plan strategy has specifically identified the need to develop a

City of Villages strategy to localise the focus, build local capacity and ownership to further enhance

the village offering. This work will position villages to take advance of promotion and cluster

development opportunities to improve the social & economic conditions of each village.

Enterprise Town Awards:

In 2017 Dublin City entered three city areas into the Enterprise Towns awards. The Liberties

Ballymun and The Docklands, were selected, the process enhanced local collaboration and

strengthened the pride in the unique aspects and future potential of each area. In 2018 three more

areas will be selected and entered into the competition that brings local and national recognition.

3. Promotion and Investment:

Dublin.ie:

The award winning city branding website Dublin.ie has had 1.1M page views and has seen a 33%

year on year increase in site users. Dublin.ie is designed to attract international investment, start

ups, skilled talent and students to Dublin and to inspire those living and working here to make the

most of their city experience. A digital marketing strategy will be implemented in 2018.

Dublin City Promotion Campaign: (Video, digital and physical marketing)

A promotional brochure that can be hosted online will be produced to showcase Dublin as a great

place to live, work and invest. The publication will emphasise the unique qualities of Dublin City,

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including friendliness, connectivity, international flavour and ease of doing business and will target

those considering investing and moving to Dublin from overseas.

Concierge Service: (soft landing pad for international investors & Business)

The Dublin Commissioner of Startups has been successfully providing a Tech concierge service in the

Dublin Docklands Area s promoted through Dublinglobe.ie. We are proposing to expand this service

to include International Relations, Planning, and Smart Cities etc to provide an agile and responsive

landing platform for international business seeking to learn about and invest in Dublin City.

4. Innovation and Transformation:

Social Enterprise: (Responsible Innovation Summit, OffSet)

Social Enterprise is significantly under represented as a sector in Ireland. It has the capability to

deliver unique, tailored and efficient solution to societal challenges. Dublin City Council will support

for-profit and not-for- profit social enterprise and assist them in developing their business capacity.

Social Enterprise Awards, training, peer to peer learning and a Tool-Kit will be provided in 2018

Maker-Space: Dublin City University

A Maker-Space for Dublin would advance innovation and transformation, bringing together a

community engaged in light engineering, fast track prototyping and physical product development.

STEAM skills development and Internet of Things (IoT) products would also be advanced. DCC in

conjunction with DCU Alpha have sought funding support from Enterprise Ireland.

FutureScope: (Dublin BIC – EDO/LEO/SmartDublin)

FutureScope is an event that engages business leaders and entrepreneurs in sharing current trends

and future insights that have the potential to transform out cities, business and enterprises. Dublin

City Council will work with Dublin BIC, to provide themes and learning on the topics of SmartDublin,

Local Enterprise and Economic Development.

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5. Our Role & Resources:

a. Our Role:

The Economic development office is responsible for the promotion of Economic Development in the

Dublin City Council administrative area. Our remit derives from the introduction of the Local

Economic & Community Development Plan (LECP) as part of the Local Government Reform Act 20142

The Economic Development Office is the sister office and closely aligned to the operation and the

activities of the Local Enterprise Office Dublin City, which also emerged from the Act following the

dissolution of the County and City Enterprise Boards. Both offices are part a larger Dublin City

Council department, Culture, Recreation and Economic Services and report into the Assistant Chief

executive with responsibility for this department. The Work of the office can be broadly broken into

3 streams; Policy, Projects & Research.

Policy describes workflow that we are obligated to deliver or report on, such as the Local Economic

& Community Plan, The Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs or the Dublin City Development Plan. In

most cases we are one of many stakeholders with responsibility, and we need to work closely with

others to deliver on the goals and objectives of these plans.

Policy Projects Research

Local Economic & Community Plan

2016-2021 Co-Working 2017 Conference Enterprise Space

Economic Development,

Enterprise and International

Relations Strategic Policy

Committee

UPRISE 6 Dublin

Fin-Tech & Entrepreneurship Talent retention

Dublin Regional Action Plan for

Jobs

Enterprising Towns Awards 2017:

The Docklands Growth Sectors

Figure 2: Sample project streams for EDO workflow

2 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/1/enacted/en/print

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Projects describe work that we undertake to promote specific areas of Economic Development and

involve sponsorship agreements to support 3rd party events, participating in events through panels,

presentations or stands, or hosting events that emerge from our policy work. It can also involve

supporting the work of the LEO through the delivery of events for Local Enterprise Week.

Research will be identified based on a needs assessment and can include short “sprint” style

research assignments, literature reviews to frame existing knowledge or longer deep dives to more

thoroughly explore specific topics. Examples of work flow for 2017 may be found in figure 2 above.

In Addition, the EDO is responsible for the management, administration and operation of the

Economic Development & Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) for Dublin City Council. The

purpose of Strategic Policy Committees is to formulate, develop, monitor and review policies which

relate to the functions of Dublin City Council and to advise the Council accordingly. In addition to

Economic Development, Enterprise & International Relation this SPC also has responsibility for Public

Markets & Casual Trading.

The SPC consists of 15 members, 10 of whom are nominated from the elected representatives of the

Council and a further 5 are nominated from industry and community stakeholders. Meetings are also

attended by relevant senior department managers of Dublin City Council. Meetings are held in the

Council Chambers and occur 6-8 times annually, they are broadcast live3 with agendas and reports

are circulated to members in advance and then published on the Dublin City Council website4.

b. Our Work: 2018

The following represent the key objectives for the EDO in 2018:

Work with Planning, International Relations, Smart Cities and other relevant stakeholders to

progress key economic City Initiatives.

Support and implement the work programme of the Economic Development and Enterprise

Strategic Policy Committee.

Local Enterprise Office Staff will deliver on the objectives set out in the Local Enterprise

Development Plan 2017-2020

3 https://dublincity.public-i.tv/core/portal/home 4http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-your-council-strategic-policy-committees-corporate-policy-group/economic-development

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Chart the creation of supported new employment in the City through conducting and

reporting on the annual Employment Survey.

Economic Development Office staff will continue to deliver on the Economic Actions in the

Dublin City Local Economic & Community Plan 2016-2021

Support the promotion of the City through the work of the Dublin.ie website.

Implement the objectives of the Dublin City Economic Development Strategy through the

four strategic pillars of Human Development, Placemaking & Clustering, Promotion &

Investment and Innovation & Transformation.

Implement the findings of the review of the Office of the Commissioner for Start-up’s.

Support the publication of the Dublin Economic Monitor.

Further build our research capacity to inform decision making

Assist in the delivery of the Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs

c. Our Resources:

The budget of the EDO is roughly €500k annually (excluding salaries). This amount is split between

an operations budget and a contributions budget. Operations cover the direct work of the office

including expenses, stationary, printing and other administrations costs. It also includes the costs of

commissioning studies, research and tendering as well as promotional materials and training costs.

The contributions budget refers to financial assistance offered to 3rd parties support events,

initiatives, conferences and services which have a direct positive impact on Dublin’s economic

ecosystem. It is anticipated that with the implementation of this strategy, the EDO will be able to

prioritise the delivery of small and large scale projects, events and initiative which support our vision

for the promotion of economic development in Dublin and support a viable request to the Executive

management team of Dublin City Council for an increase in financial resource allocation.

Figure 3 below outlines an example of the type of work carried out by EDO in 2017 and how their

objectives and outcomes align with the 4 pillars of economic development and the vision mission

and role of the EDO.

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Table 1: EDO - Resource Allocation & Hierarchy

Figure 3: Example of projects carried out by EDO in 2017

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6. Resource Allocation & Project apprasial:

Given the natural constraints on the resources of the EDO, careful consideration should be given to

the level of support allocated to each project. The allocation of EDO resources will be based on

projected project outcomes and alignment and with the 4 pillars. 4 levels of involvement based on

the following categories: Engagement level colour coded as “at a glance” with the 4 pillars.

1. Engage Contact with stakeholders and discuss options and supports available 2. Promote Social media, Videography, photography, newsletter, Press Release 3. Facilitate Assist with contacts into the ecosystem. 4. Collaborate Offer full EDO support to lead and/or partner on project.

Human

Development

Placemaking &

Clusters

Promotion &

Investment

Innovation &

Transformation

Talent & Skills City of Villages FDI Smart Dublin

Job Creation Parks Investment Start-up Dublin

Education Public Realm Influence Accelerators

Wellbeing Community Concierge Service Incubators

Culture Wayfinding Profile Techshop

Belonging Movement Research Universities & HEI’s

Recreation Infrastructure dublin.ie The Gig Economy

Creativity Networking Dublin Economic Monitor Global Cities

Diversity BioDiversity Dublin Globe STEAM

Figure 4: Example of resource allocation with projects

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Based on the allocation and identification of resources workflow will be manages with a KANBAN A

Kanban board which is a work and workflow visualization tool that enables you to optimize the flow

of your work. Physical Kanban boards, like the one pictured below, typically use sticky notes on a

whiteboard to communicate status, progress, and issues. This has been in use by the EDO since June

2016.

Figure 5: EDO Kanban workflow management tool

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Where significant levels of financial or human capital have been committed to a project, a formal

project management structure will be implemented and each stage will be assessed and

implemented prior to moving on. This will give all parties involved in the delivery a clear framework

and process map for the delivery of the project and assist is obtaining value for money for the

expenditure of public resources. Figure 6 below shows a draft of this process map with an

explanation for the stages involved. .

1. Opportunity: Initial contact by stakeholder, either internal or external approach.

2. Appraisal: 2-page summary including resource commitment, budget, outcomes etc.

3. Approval: Presented to EDO senior management team for approval.

4. Consultation: Consultation with relevant economic stakeholders (if applicable).

5. Support: Written offer with terms, branding guidelines, milestones & obligations.

6. Phase 1: Partner/stakeholder accesses hard & soft EDO supports to deliver project.

7. Monitoring: EDO team monitor the project through all phases of delivery.

8. Report: Stakeholder/partner report on the project.

9. Phase 2: EDO conduct a review of project and release balance of support.

Figure 6: Project implementation process map

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Appraisal of each project will be carried out by completing a project appraisal form. This form will

contain key information relating to the project stakeholders, contact information, timelines and

venue information and the resources requested. The primary focus of the appraisal is to score the

objectives, viability and fit of each project in terms of the 4 pillars of Economic Development and the

amount of resources needs to successfully deliver it. This appraisal will need flexibility in terms of

the difference between assessing sponsorship agreement for an event promoting a specific sector

under the pillars and the identification of a piece of research to be conducted.

Figure 6 below is a sample project appraisal form indicating what this assessment might looks like

scoring an event sponsorship proposal based on its fit in terms of the 4 pillars and the resource

allocation. A more analytical approach will need to be developed to fit with and assess the range of

projects undertaken by the EDO.

Figure 7: Sample Project Appraisal Form

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7. Communications Plan

a. Brand development:

In order to effectively promote the Economic Development functions of Dublin City Council it is

necessary for the EDO to have its own profile, which can be built on both nationally and

internationally. The final logo design represents a clear and simple form which evokes the same tone

as the main Dublin City Council brand while having its own unique style. It is intended that the EDO

logo will sit side by side with the main DCC logo in all uses.

The long blue line running under the “Economic Development” title represents the City’s

relationship with water, as both the sea and the rivers of Dublin have formed an integral part in its

social and economic development. The Dublin Spire is an iconic part of the city’s skyline and easily

recognisable in the logo, but here it also represents the infrastructure and the built environment

that makes the city unique. The circle at the bottom left represents the circular economy, which

underpins the transformation that our city has seen but also supports its citizen’s connection with

the City. “Dublin City Council” is clearly visible underpinning the Economic Development function of

the office.

Supporting Economic Development

b. Social media engagement:

Social Media is one of the most effective forms of stakeholder engagement. Messages and

information can be disseminated quickly and people and organisations can be engaged with on an

ongoing basis. Much of the work of the EDO is event driven in nature and this lends itself well to

social media platforms, particularly.

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Primary feed: Twitter - @DCCEconDev

c. Website Development:

The main Dublin City Council web site is undergoing significant renovation and rebuilding. The EDO

will engage with Corporate Services in order to ensure the new platform will meet the needs of the

EDO.

It is intended to develop a platform that can be used to promote the Economic Profile of Dublin City

as a destination to Live Work Visit and Invest, offering information, contacts, access to networks and

upcoming events. As EDO begins to spin up its research and publication function, this platform in

conjunction with the social media will be used to promote and disseminate this work. The Economic

development web page to take full advantage of the original content being created by EDO to

promote & inform stakeholders.

Current site: www.dublincity.ie/economic

Alternative: www.dublin.ie

Figure 8: Twitter Profile for @DCCEconDev

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d. Email Communications:

An email account economicdevelopment@dublincity.ie is set up but currently dormant. This account

will be reactivated and utilised as the general contact for the EDO.

e. International Advertising & Promotion:

The EDO will continue to identify opportunities to promote Dublin City and its economy at an

international audience through advertisements and interviews in the international press, such as the

Financial Times, the Economist and Foreign Policy Magazine and international event such as the

Cannes Investment show, Eurocities and International Public policy Forums.

Figure 9: Foreign Policy Magazine 2017, Dublin City promotional ad

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Appendices & Supplemental Information:

This section contains information’s that was not considered to be critical to the overall EDO

strategy, but is necessary to expand on for the operations of the Economic Development

Office. Elements of this section have not yet been fully completed and require further work

to expand and marked with TBC (To Be Completed).

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Appendix A: National & Local Policy Context

1. Local Government Reform Act 2014

The Economic development office is responsible for the promotion of Economic Development in the

Dublin City Council administrative area. Our remit derives from the introduction of the Local

Economic & Community Development Plan as part of the Local Government Reform act 20145 which

states:

66B. (1) Each local authority shall make, in accordance with section 66C and any regulations made, or

general policy guidelines issued, by the Minister for the purposes of that section, and the principles of

sustainable development, a 6 year local economic and community plan (in this section referred to as

the ‘Plan’), which shall be referred to as the ‘Local Economic and Community Plan’, prefixed by the

name of the local authority concerned, and the Plan shall be for—

(a) the promotion of economic development in its functional area, and

(b) the promotion of local and community development in its functional area.

The act continues to describe what is meant by Economic Development in this case;

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), promotion of economic development includes but is not limited

to—

(a) creating and sustaining jobs,

(b) promoting the interests of the community, including—

(i) enterprise and economic development across economic sectors,

(ii) foreign direct investment,

(iii) indigenous industry,

(iv) micro-enterprises and small and medium sized enterprises,

(v) tourism, and

(vi) agriculture, forestry and the marine sectors, and other natural resource sectors,

5 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/1/enacted/en/print

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2. Economic Development & Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee (SPC)

The purpose of Strategic Policy Committees is to formulate, develop, monitor and review policies

which relate to the functions of Dublin City Council and to advise the Council accordingly. The

Economic Development SPC has 15 members with 10 representatives from the elected council and 5

from sectoral groups. It is normal for each SPC to meet 4 times annually however; this SPC tends to

meet 6 times annually. The Economic Development SPC has responsibility for the following

functions

Economic Development

Local Enterprise Office Dublin City

Casual Trading

Tourism

Markets

International Relations

Representatives of the elected Members of Dublin City Council:

Councillor Deirdre Heney (F.F) Chairperson

Councillor Paul McAuliffe (F.F)

Councillor Gary Gannon (Lab)

Councillor Brendan Carr (Lab)

Councillor Noeleen Reilly (S.F)

Councillor Gaye Fagan (S.F.)

Councillor Paddy Bourke (Non Party)

Councillor Anne Feeney (F.G)

Councillor Greg Kelly (S.F)

Councillor Norma Sammon (F.G)

Sectoral Members:

John Lombard, Assoc. of Consulting Engineers in Ireland (ACEI)

Denise Brophy, Dublinia Ltd.

Evanne Kilmurray, Inner City Enterprise (ICE)

Martin Harte, The Temple Bar Company

Geraldine Lavin, Small Firms Association

3. Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP)

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The Dublin City Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2016 – 20216 was developed during

2015 by Dublin City Local Community Development Committee and the Economic Development and

Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee. It was adopted by Dublin City Council in December 2015.

The Dublin City LECP is made up of two documents:

A six-year strategy document setting out the 12 high-level goals for the lifetime of the plan.

These goals were established following a period of public and stakeholder consultation

during June 2015

An Action Plan which will be up-dated annually during the lifetime of the Plan.

Actions in the Annual Plan are monitored by the relevant Strategic Policy Committees of Dublin City

Council and reports on actions are submitted annually to the Local Community Development

Committees (LCDC) and the Economic Development and Enterprise SPC for overall monitoring and

review. Furthermore, during 2017, the two committees will work on developing the LECP in the

following ways:

Up-date the socio-economic profile for the City (see below for some Dublin City social,

economic and population statistics)

Identify any gaps, duplication or areas for potential collaboration between agencies in local

economic development or community development activity across the City

Report back to local communities with feedback on the consultations that were carried out

across the City during 2016

Liaise with the various organisations with an economic remit within Dublin City towards

developing a programme of collaborative actions for the subsequent years of the LECP

Further engagement with public and publicly-funded bodies to agree strategic priorities for

the City

Work with the relevant agencies to develop the Dublin Region Action Plan for Jobs

6 http://www.dublincity.ie/LECP

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4. Dublin City Council: Dublin City Development Plan (DP)

The Dublin City Development Plan (2016-2022) sets out policies and objectives to guide how and

where development will take place in the city over the lifetime of the Plan. It provides an integrated,

coherent spatial framework to ensure the city is developed in an inclusive way which improves the

quality of life for its citizens, whilst also being a more attractive place to visit and work. This Plan was

adopted by Dublin City Council at a Special Council meeting on 23rd September 2016. The Plan came

into effect on 21st October 2016.

The development plan sets out a new approach to meet the needs and aspirations of citizens of

Dublin and the country, not only for the 6-year life of the plan, but for the long term. This approach

is based on the principles of sustainability and resilience on the social, economic and environmental

fronts. This approach imbues the development plan throughout, cascading from the vision, core

strategy, policies, objectives and standards through to implementation. The implementation of the

measures in the city development plan will be pursued by active land management, whereby the

City Council, through its departments and in collaboration with other agencies, will pro-actively work

to achieve the aims of the core strategy. Chapter 6 - City Economy and Enterprise states:

In responding to the challenges facing the economy of the city and its role as the national and

regional economic engine, and the competition from other cities internationally, policies are set out

including those to:

Improve the general attractiveness of the city for residents, workers, visitors and investors

Promote tourism as a key economic and employment driver

Identify and support emerging and growth sectors of the city economy

Enhance the Regeneration process by engaging in active land management, implementing

the vacant land levy and other measures

Promote the role of Dublin as an Education city and a destination of choice for International

Students

5. Regional Action Plan for Jobs: Dublin 2016-2018 (RAPJ)

The Action Plan for Jobs: Dublin contains a suite of actions developed by local authorities, regional

and national bodies, higher education institutions, the private sector and communities in Dublin,

aimed at boosting job creation in the region.

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The Plan considers Dublin both in the national context and in terms of how it is positioned in an

international context. It is based on effective collaboration, the elevation of best practice, and a

drive to differentiate Dublin's offering in a global context.

6. Dublin City Council Corporate Plan (CP) (TBC)

The Dublin City Corporate Plan is for the period 2015-2019. It puts forward a Vision for both the city

and the City Council as an organisation and affirms the values by which we should work together to

deliver on our ambitions. The path set out in the Corporate Plan and the clear goals and objectives

outlined are the result of an extensive and inclusive consultative process which commenced in

summer 2014. The views of all key stakeholders were sought and considered while the Council also

evaluated the environmental issues which can have such an important impact on our ability to

deliver on what have now been outlined in this document as our key priorities for the next five

years. Dublin City Council continues to provide the people of Dublin city and those who come to visit

or who conduct business in the city, with over 600 services and our ambition is to continue to deliver

high quality services in the most cost effective manner possible for the period of this plan.

The objectives of the Corporate Plan are to:

Prepare a new Local Economic and Community Plan, which will help drive the socio-

economic recovery of the city

Facilitate the expansion of the retail sector to ensure the city centre remains the primary

retail centre of the region, and to support the development of tourism

Identify emerging growth areas and produce further Local Area Plans to bring forward the

social and economic growth of the city

Produce an updated suite of economic and enterprise development policies in the new City

Development Plan 2016-2022

Ensure the successful development of the key growth areas in the city through the

implementation of the Development Plan, the Local Area Plans (LAPs), the Docklands

Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) and the Grangegorman SDZ

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7. EMRA: Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) (TBC)

Prior to the establishment of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly on 1st January 2015, the

three previous Regional Authorities within Eastern and Midland Region produced individual Regional

Planning Guidelines (RPG’s). These planning guidelines set out a strategic planning framework for

their respective three areas and will remain in force until at least 2016. The implementation of the

RPGs are an integral part of the Government’s programme to enable Ireland’s planning system to

play an important role in the national economic recovery by delivering a plan-led planning system

where spatial plans are aligned to benefit the economy, environment and provide for an improved

quality of life. This process has sought to prioritise future infrastructural investment at a regional

and local level, whilst promoting the growth of designated settlements. It is proposed that the

(RPG’s) will be replaced by a Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy for the region.

“The objective of regional spatial and economic strategies shall be to support the implementation of

the National Spatial Strategy and the economic policies and objectives of the Government by

providing a long-term strategic planning and economic framework for the development of the region

for which the strategies are prepared which shall be consistent with the National Spatial Strategy

and the economic policies or objectives of the Government.” (sec23 Planning and Development Act

2000)

The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, has twelve constituent local authorities split into three

Strategic Planning Areas Prior to the establishment of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly

on 1st January 2015, the three previous Regional Authorities within Eastern and Midland Region

produced individual Regional Planning Guidelines (RPG’s). These planning guidelines set out a

strategic planning framework for their respective three areas and will remain in force until at least

2016.

The implementation of the RPGs is an integral part of the Government’s programme to enable

Ireland’s planning system to play an important role in the national economic recovery by delivering a

plan-led planning system where spatial plans are aligned to benefit the economy, environment and

provide for an improved quality of life. This process has sought to prioritise future infrastructural

investment at a regional and local level, whilst promoting the growth of designated settlements.

It is proposed that the (RPG’s) will be replaced by a Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy for the

region.

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“The objective of regional spatial and economic strategies shall be to support the implementation of

the National Spatial Strategy and the economic policies and objectives of the Government by

providing a long-term strategic planning and economic framework for the development of the region

for which the strategies are prepared which shall be consistent with the National Spatial Strategy

and the economic policies or objectives of the Government.” (sec23 Planning and Development Act

2000) The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, has twelve constituent local authorities split into

three Strategic Planning Areas

8. Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy: (TBC)

The Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy provides a coherent and coordinated approach to

promoting enterprise, employment and entrepreneurial activities in the Dublin Region for the period

2017-2019. To inform the development of the enterprise strategy, a review of existing and emerging

enterprise and employment policies is essential.

The review recognises the wide range of policies that presently exist and the associated flexibility

therein, to ensure that the strategy remains responsive to changing economic conditions and

technological advances. In considering this policy direction, the augmentation through research,

analysis and consultation of the current enterprise landscape in the Dublin Region provides a

focused approach on key areas. These areas include, inter alia, understanding the ‘key enterprise

sectors’ (namely, Administration, Professional Services, Tourism and Leisure, Education and Training,

Manufacturing and Industry, Transport and Logistics, Construction, ICT and Technology and Retail

and Wholesale), the associated employment levels, together with the clustering of enterprise

activity and enterprise supports.

Stakeholder consultation allows for key insights to be garnered and incorporated into the strategy’s

development and future overall direction. The recent improvements in the national economy have

been heavily driven by the economy of the Dublin Region. Growth in the number of enterprises and

a reduction in the unemployment rate illustrate an increasingly entrepreneurial economy and reflect

the establishing of many new start-up enterprises.

Within this context, the identification of ‘growth opportunity areas’ can have significant potential for

enterprise consolidation and expansion in the future. These are centred on the following: Design and

Creative Industries, Food Industry, The Green Economy (Cleantech and Environment), International

Financial Services, Pharma/Biopharma, Software and Digital, Tourism, and Education and Training.

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Recognising the existing enterprise landscape and the policy and economic conditions that shape it,

it is paramount that a future ‘enterprise vision’ for the Dublin Region be articulated. The vision of

this strategy is… “… for the creation of a sustainable, globally competitive and innovative destination

for enterprise development and living”.

The delivery of this vision is ensured through ‘key enterprise objectives’ which reflect and to guide

the current enterprise landscape towards the delivery of the enterprise strategy. With each

objective relating to a vital ‘enterprise driver’, covering areas of meeting the needs of entrepreneurs

and enterprises, assisting the potential ‘growth opportunity areas’, future skills, education and

training needs and requirements, promoting a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, the

positioning of the City Region, and ensuring a high quality of life, focussed ‘enterprise

recommendations’ will ensure their fulfilment. In turn, these recommendations can ensure the roll-

out of both regional and local ‘enterprise actions’, with the successful implementation of these being

crucial to secure the overall successful delivery of this three-year enterprise strategy for the Region,

through an integrated and focussed approach.

9. Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs: (TBC)

The Dublin Action Plan for Jobs has been developed following wide local stakeholder engagement. It

is a rolling agenda which will allow additional actions and ideas to be added as they emerge over the

period of the Plan and beyond. An Implementation Committee will be established with a

Chairperson appointed by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to oversee monitoring of

implementation.

A six-monthly Progress Report will be published by this Committee twice yearly. The Progress

Reports will also identify areas for further action in a rolling framework. The Minister will also

appoint Enterprise Champions for Dublin to drive the enterprise and jobs focus of the Plan.

The following metrics have been incorporated in actions set out above where relevant. They are

summarised here for ease of reference. By 2020, we will:

Have 66,000 more people in employment and reach an unemployment rate of 6 percent2;

increase the number of start-ups in the region by a minimum of 25 percent;

increase the survival rate of start-ups in the first five years by a minimum of 25 percent;

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deliver a minimum of 430 FDI investments for Dublin over the period 2015-2019;

improve the capacity of Irish owned agency supported enterprises to grow to scale by a

minimum of 30 per cent across many turnover thresholds3;

increase RD&I performance within enterprises, with an increase: of 20 percent in RD&I

expenditure in foreign owned entities (by 2019); of 20 percent in numbers of Irish owned

enterprises engaging in RD&I activities; and more collaborative activity involving enterprises

and state funded research institutes, delivering at least one third more collaborations and

seeding intensified clustering activities;

double enterprise investment in training and upskilling for employees;

deliver a 7 percent increase year on year in visitor numbers to reach 6.2 million4; and

achieve a doubling of spend by visitors to reach a total of €2.5 billion5.

10. BREXIT: Context, Response & Opportunities (TBC)

Key stakeholders in relation to brexit

EU Commission

DPER

DJEI

Dept. Housing Planning, Community & Local Government

Dept of Foreign Affairs

Dept of An Taoiseach

DPER

EI/LEO

ESRI

IDA

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Appendix B: High Level Objectives for 2018

The following represent the key objectives for the Economic Development & Enterprise Offices for

2018:

Support and implement the work programme of the Economic Development and Enterprise

Strategic Policy Committee.

Local Enterprise Office Staff will deliver on the objectives set out in the Local Enterprise

Development Plan 2017-2020

Chart the creation of supported new employment in the City through conducting and

reporting on the annual Employment Survey.

Economic Development Office staff will continue to deliver on the Economic Actions in the

Dublin City Local Economic & Community Plan 2016-2021

Support the promotion of the City through the work of the Dublin.ie website.

Implement the objectives of the Dublin City Economic Development Strategy through the

four strategic pillars of Human Development, Placemaking & Clustering, Promotion &

Investment and Innovation & Transformation.

Implement the findings of the review of the Office of the Commissioner for Start-up’s.

Support the publication of the Dublin Economic Monitor.

Further build our research capacity to inform decision making

Assist in the delivery of the Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs

Work with Planning, International Relations, Smart Cities and other relevant stakeholders to

progress key economic City Initiatives.

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Appendix C: Dublin City SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis was conducted to get a high level picture of the key Strengths, Weaknesses,

Opportunities and Threats to the Dublin City Economy. Work on this began in 2016 during a series of

Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) stakeholder workshops which were conducted by the EOD

Team to assist in developing the 2017 LECP Action Plan. Further individual meetings were conducted

individually with a range of individuals, organisations and business groups at which this work was

further developed. Table 5 below shows the resulting analysis used to inform the 4 Pillars of

Economic Development which form the core of this document.

Strengths Weaknesses

Educated Workforce Lack of economic diversity

EU Membership Constrained Housing supply

English Speaking Level of Infrastructure Investment

Low Corporation Tax Profile Reliance on UK markets

Enterprise Support Eco-System Fiscal Space Restrictions

Opportunities Threats

BREXIT BREXIT

Foreign Direct Investment Ability to attract and retain talent

Growth Sectors & Clustering On-Island hard border

Talent Development External Fiscal/Economic Shocks

New Export Markets National Debt

Figure 10: Dublin City SWOT analysis

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Appendix E: Economic Networks: (TBC)

To effectively execute our role the EDO will ne to build on existing relationships with key economic

stakeholders while simultaneously developing new relationships. This section is intended to identify

the different stakeholders that we should engage with from both the Public and Private sectors.

1. Economics Development, Enterprise & International Relations Strategic Policy Committee

2. Economic Working Group

3. Senior Management Team

4. Dublin Region Economic Development Management Team

5. External Public: DPER, DHECLG, EI, IDA, EMRA

6. External Private: Dublin Chamber, British & Irish Chamber, IBEC, ESRI,

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Appendix F: Potential areas of research: (TBC)

Once resources are in place, EDO will be able to begin to build out an informed research programme

and carry out analysis and commentary functions. Examples of the areas intended to be researched

on are:

Enterprise Space

Skills Gaps

Growth Sectors

Deprivation

Commercial Space Vacancy Register

Migrant Entrepreneurship

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Appendix G: Staffing Resources

The table below indicate the structure of the EDO. Those highlighted in Blue are permanent staff,

grey indicates temporary staff either in place (Senior Economic Development Officer) or expected to

start in the next 6 months (2 X Researchers & 2 X LGMA Graduates) and those in green are additional

resources anticipated to be needed to resource the team effectively but not yet approved.

Figure 11: EDO structure and resources

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Appendix H: EDO Action Plan 2018 (TBC)

This section will contain a complete listing of all the actions to be completed under:

The Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs

The Local Economic & Community Plan

Dublin City Development Plan

National Enterprise Strategy

Dublin Climate Action Plan

We will also build an Events Calendar for 2018

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