PRII Certificate in Public Affairs – CORK

For the first time PRII’s long running certificate course in Public Affairs will be run outside Dublin this autumn.

Engaging with the public affairs arena is a key part of a large number of communications professionals’ day to day jobs. The make up of the current Oireachtas, a minority Government , recent legislative and administrative reform as well as the Regulation of Lobbying Act all have a bearing on the success of engagements in this area and affect how these should be appropriately and effectively targeted.

This programme, uniquely designed for communications specialists, will equip professionals with the insight and practical knowledge they need to effectively and successfully engage with the Irish governmental and political arena.

In addition to covering the fundamentals of the Irish public affairs arena, the core focus of the course will be on recent changes and the practical implications of these.

Course objectives

The course aims to equip communications professionals with a clear understanding of the current Irish public affairs landscape, and will guide them on how to appropriately target their interventions at both local and national government level.

Who is this course for?

This programme will be of particular value to communications professionals for whom public affairs is part of their overall role, but is one in which they need to strengthen their knowledge to interact more effectively in this area. It will also be of benefit to those considering a career in public affairs.

Format of the course

The course is a combination of classroom time (9.30am – 4.30pm over four full days), home study and examination by written assessment. Classroom sessions are intensive and participative and will include a variety of approaches including lectures, group discussions and practical exercises. Designed to be highly interactive, participants will be encouraged to share their experiences and question presenters and guest speakers.

Guest speakers

There will be a number of guest speakers during the course.

They will include those working in public affairs who will speak on their experiences of successful and unsuccessful public affairs campaigns, in addition to several with a background working in Government (at local and national level) who will be invited to share their experiences with delegates.

Topics Covered

• Overview of the public affairs arena in Ireland
• Overview of who does what in Irish politics and government at local and national level
• The legislative environment in which public affairs practitioners operate (Freedom of Information, Ethics Legislation)
• Understanding and complying with the Regulation of Lobbying Act
• Overview of national government and the civil service
• Understanding what ministers and civil servants do
• How the Public Policy Process works
• Overview of the Oireachtas, Dáil and Seanad
• How it works in theory and practice
• Parliamentary parties; backbenchers; committees; parliamentary questions; topical issues, 2016 Parliamentary Reforms
• How to interact and engage effectively
• The structure of local authorities; recent changes; the role of the County Chief Executive and elected members
• The planning process and dealing with a local authority
• The Budget – a detailed guide to the process
• Case study of a budget campaign
• Public consultations
• The European context
• Major case study of a campaign that covered local and national government