The evolution of public–private partnership in Ireland: a sustainable pathway?

Abstract

Ireland is a latecomer to Public Private Partnership (PPP) having only adopted it in 1998.Prior to the credit crisis, Ireland followed the UK model with PPPs being implemented in transport, education, housing/urban regeneration and water/wastewater. Having stalled during the credit crisis, PPP has been reactivated recently with the domestic infrastructure stimulus programme i . The focus of this paper is on Ireland as a younger participant in PPP and the nexus between adoption patterns and sustainability characteristics of Irish PPP. Using document analysis and exploratory interviews, the paper examines the reasons for Ireland's interest in PPP which cannot be attributed to economic rationales alone. We consider three explanations: voluntary adoption -where the UK model was closely followed as part of a domestic modernisation agenda; coercive adoption -where PPP policy was forced upon public sector organisations; and institutional isomorphism -where institutional creation and change around PPP was promoted to help public sector organisations gain institutional legitimacy. We find evidence of all three patterns with coercive adoption becoming more relevant in recent years, which is likely to affect sustainability adversely unless incentives for voluntary adoption are strengthened and institutional capacity building is boosted. Points for PractitionersThere are many reasons public sector organisations procure via PPP and motivations can change over time. In Ireland PPP adoption changed from being largely voluntary to increasingly coercive. Irrespective of motives, PPP procurement must be underpinned by incentives and institutional enabling mechanisms which should be strengthened to make Ireland's PPP strategy sustainable.

Institutional work and infrastructure public–private partnerships (PPPs): the roles of religious symbolic work and power in implementing PPP projects

“…A recent study by Sheppard & Beck (2016) has contended that, while Ireland's central government originally introduced the UK's PPP model as a voluntary option to modernize its public administration, it is now increasingly pushing the adoption of PPPs for infrastructure delivery. Ireland's public-sector organizations are now reported as reluctantly pursuing PPPs simply to maintain institutional legitimacy (Sheppard and Beck, 2016). Moreover, Jooste, Levitt, and Scott (2011) have found that mimetic pressures explain the diffusion of infrastructure PPPs from the UK into British Columbia (Canada), Victoria (Australia), and South Africa.…”

“…The same study revealed that, while Ireland's local government knew about the "negative aspects of PPPs in the UK," they still "persisted with the PPP model and sought legitimacy through its adoption" (p. 12). Interestingly, Sheppard and Beck (2016) contend that, while Ireland's central government originally introduced the UK's PPP model as a voluntary option to modernize its public administration, it is now increasingly pushing the adoption of PPPs for infrastructure delivery. Ireland's public-sector organizations are now reported as reluctantly pursuing PPPs to maintain institutional legitimacy (Sheppard and Beck, 2016).…”

“…Instead, when groups of public, private and not-for-profit entities work together, they exert a stronger impact on PPPs' implementation. More recent studies confirm this claim while listing government strategies that effectively translated into increased adoption of PPPs in Ireland (Sheppard and Beck, 2016). Nonetheless, Verhoest et al (2015) question the full impact of PPPenabling organizations on PPP projects and found that, while organizational support for PPP was necessary, it was insufficient to account for greater uptake of PPPs.…”

Policy movement in housing research: a critical interpretative synthesis

“…b E.g., the phrase ' … transports policy, transfer of passengers' was discovered as 'policy transfer'. c Five papers, however, proved to advance a moderate engagement with policy movement (Anderson & Collins 2014;Blessing 2016, Osypuk 2015, Van Vliet 2003 or housing (Sheppard & Beck 2018). For full reference, see the Annex.…”

The community philanthropic foundation: A new form of independent public service provider for China?

“…The nature and evolution of the relationship between government and NPOs will be understood both in terms of governmental nonprofit funding and in terms of governmental control (Verscheure & Corte 2010). Prior to the financial crisis, many Western countries implemented publicprivate partnership models in diverse areas (Sheppard & Beck 2016). For instance, a PPP related to infrastructure may involve a complex set of parties (Jooste & Scott 2012).…”