Towards sustainable development in the mid‐west region of Ireland

The University of Limerick, Ireland, in collaboration with the major local authorities in the mid‐west region of Ireland (Limerick County Council, Limerick Corporation, Clare County Council, Tipperary (North Riding) County Council and the Mid‐Western Regional Authority) is currently undertaking a project to promote sustainable development in the region. This is being achieved, first, through the promotion of public participation by directly involving members of local government, the voluntary and community sector and the general public in the region who form the mid‐west steering and advisory groups, second, the development of a range of indicators selected on the basis of sensitivity to sustainable development, and third, the design of a Local Agenda 21 programme in the mid‐west. The paper falls into two parts. First, the current situation in Ireland in relation to sustainable development is reviewed, and second, the University of Limerick case study is described.