Urban Contact Point

The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) plays a key role in three main areas: strategic planning and sustainable development, European Affairs, and effectiveness in local government. With a strong emphasis on spatial planning, it has a statutory role in Ireland for the coordination and oversight of Local Authorities’ development plans and is responsible for the making and implementation of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy.

This provides to the EMRA a great sounding board for integrated urban development and for making those important linkages at the local, regional, national, and European-wide levels. EMRA works closely with its parent central government department: the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage which is responsible for planning and urban matters within Ireland as well as the local government sector.

EMRA is also involved in the implementation of the Regional ERDF Programme and as of December 2021 has been appointed as the Managing Authority in Ireland for the EU Just Transition Fund. In addition to holding the URBACT Contact Point role since 2018, EMRA has developed significant experience in Interreg programmes as part of its role in helping to implement Cohesion Policy.

This has included being a partner in EU-funded projects under the Interreg Europe, ESPON and H2020 programmes and sitting on the URBACT, North-West Europe and Atlantic Area Programme Monitoring Committees.

The EMRA works closely with its two sister Assemblies, the Southern Regional Assembly and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, as well as the 31 local authorities throughout the Republic of Ireland.