Reframe, Refresh & Improve Current Policy Options

This work will inform and actively shape Ireland’s progress towards more sustainable and integrated economic, social, and environmental development.

We will be examining how frontline concerns and the “lived experiences” of citizens, groups, and places could be enhanced by policy design, implementation, and institutional reform.

We also hope to increase the awareness and impact of NESC research work in the wider policy and political system, as well as among civil society.

The areas of work covered under this outcome include:

Compact Growth

Ireland’s sprawling pattern of development has long been of concern for economic, social, and environmental reasons. It results in higher costs of providing public services and infrastructure, and leads to high car dependency to meet daily needs. Ireland’s long term spatial plan, the National Planning Framework, sets out an alternative vision to this long-term pattern based on compact growth.

Compact growth involves having more growth within the boundaries of cities, towns, and villages. It includes developing new walkable neighbourhoods and making use of vacant and derelict property. NESC’s work on this topic examined Ireland’s performance in seeking to move to a pattern of compact growth, and the obstacles that will need to be overcome. A Council Report, Deepening Compact Growth in Ireland, was published in May 2025, outlining recommendations on how further progress can be made.

Please click here to access the full report and its corresponding secretariat paper.

Energy Transition

NESC is currently undertaking a robust programme of research revolving around Ireland’s energy sector. This programme of work began in 2024 following a discussion by the Council regarding key trends, challenges, and opportunities in the sector’s transition to net zero by 2050.

The programme will focus on a number of key issues in energy, primarily within the power and heat services, and explore how Ireland can achieve independence from fossil fuels by 2050 while at the same time enhancing well-being and leaving no one behind. The shared island will be a cross-cutting theme of the work and it will involve extensive engagement including workshops and online discussion fora.

The work will result in a series of interrelated Council Reports throughout 2025, culminating in a major conference towards the end of the year.

The first in the suite of reports was Ireland’s Future Power System and Economic Resilience,  with its associated background paper, and research papers; A Gravity Model Specification for Irish Green Energy Goods and Services, and Future of the Gas Sector in Ireland.

Work is also forthcoming in the areas of:

• Household and Energy Communities
• Trade
• Systems Analysis

We have already held several events as part of this programme, including a working meeting of national stakeholders in October 2024, and two energy systems workshops in November 2024 and April 2025, respectively – please click on the imbedded links above to find out more about each one.

Social Cohesion

As part of its reflection during NESC@50 the Council committed to “form the basis for a positive pathway forward that helps us, as a society, to navigate at times of high uncertainty.”

Over 2025-2026 work will be carried out to explore what we mean by social cohesion, examine what is causing it to fracture, and how we might work towards the co-development of solutions to break down the barriers to positive change. This will involve engagements with citizens in order to hear directly on the theme of social cohesion.

In the second half of 2026, Ireland will host the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. As the topic of social cohesion is one of several on the European agenda, NESC – through this work – will also engage with a number of other countries, primarily through its membership of the EESC. This will culminate in a Presidency event in Dublin – specifically, a conference bringing together stakeholders from across all sectors of society to hear from local, national, and European experts, share learning and best practice, and build connections.

Ireland’s Planning Provision and Delivery Capacity

Analysis undertaken by the Council in 2023 highlighted the risks posed to Ireland’s economic resilience by significant, persistent capacity constraints. NESC’s ongoing research into Ireland’s energy transition also suggests potential limitations in long-term planning. Anticipating and managing strategic issues requires (elusive) certainty around the details, timeline, and impacts in the near-to-medium term, paired with capacity to plan for the long-term impacts and the demonstrable ability to deliver progress. Challenges are evident across policy areas (e.g. housing, infrastructure, healthcare, and other services). The policy-system may benefit from fresh consideration of ways Ireland could improve its long-term planning, provision, and delivery capacity.

NESC is currently exploring work in this area, which will continue throughout 2025.