Spatial View in Context

Spatial View of Ireland

The work of William Pattison (1964) related the four traditions of geographical research including the "spatial view, the area study and the man-land relations." (Taaffe, 1974, p.1) According to the work of Taaffe (1974) each of the areas overlap one another and at times all three areas intersect one with the other reported to create the fourth in the traditions of geography. According to Taaffe (1974) where the focus is on spatial organization the topics of research will be on topics "with significant spatial components…such as those related to migration, transport networks of the analysis of settlement patterns." (p.2)

Taaffe relates that where such as recreation is examined there will be an examination "between selected environmental features and aesthetic satisfaction under the man-land view and comparative features of different recreational areas under the areal view and under the spatial view the differentials in accessibility and linkages of a recreational area…" (1974, p.2-3) Therefore, examination of any location under any specific view is likely to involve examination of the area under multiple or even within the context of all three focuses on geographical research. The purpose of this study is to examine Ireland from a spatial view.

Intertrade Ireland reports that presently the relationship that exists between places "is changing in an age of accelerating globalization and the rapid emergence of global regional systems. The accompanying re-organization of space (or the spatial) is becoming increasingly relevant as the traditional barriers of distance are replaced by improved interconnectedness between places and peoples across the globe." (nd, p.10) Ireland faces challenges in the focus on productivity increases and in the provision of a climate that supports growth in business and specifically related to the capacity for research and development needed to enable enterprise and to support entrepreneurship. According to Intertrade Ireland spatial planning that is strategic in nature is such that works collectively in the re-imaging of "a city, urban region or wider territory and the translate the results into priorities for investment, strategic infrastructure and principles of land use regulation." (p.13)

Spatial planning is additionally such that "provides a flexible mechanism for managing the changing connections between cities and regions" and as well makes provision of a method that can be used in the unification of management that is from the top reaching downward with "horizontal integration of sectoral activities." (InterTrade Ireland, 2014, p.14) The stated economic vision for Northern Ireland is reported to have an emphasis on the strong aspects that the younger population brings to the table and the high levels of educational achievement of this group which supports the economy's performance.

At focus is the improvement in the global position of the province of Northern Ireland through bringing about an improvement in the province's global position "through increased productivity and value-added leading to enhanced market share." (Intertrade Ireland, 2014, p.17) However, there are barriers faced by Northern Ireland in terms of its economy stated to be due to "structural weaknesses caused by an over reliance on the public sector which accounts for 62% of GDP compared to 25% in Ireland." (Intertrade Ireland, 2014, p. 17) Presently when the economies of Ireland are combined it is reported that this ranks Ireland at 14th in the world in "measured per capita income." (Intertrade Ireland, 2014, p. 18)

Two spatial strategies are reported to be in existence for Ireland including: (1) the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) for Ireland; and (2) the Regional Development Strategy (RDS) for Northern Ireland. (Intertrade Ireland, nd, p.5) Three options have been suggested for enabling a strategy that is more collaborative in nature for the planning and investment in infrastructure in Ireland and those are reported to include the following: (1) to continue forward with existing arrangements which are informal in nature; (2) to give consideration of the possibility of "a new all-island spatial planning initiative with associated new structures (Intertrade Ireland, nd, p.5); and (4) establishment of a new framework for action that is collaborative in nature and that is characterized by coordination of infrastructure and building upon the arrangements that are already in existence. (Intertrade Ireland, nd, paraphrased)

Because of the rapidly expanded economical growth occurring in Ireland any spatial planning must necessarily consider all aspects of the geographical traditions stated in the work of Patterson (1964) and related in the work of Taaffe including those of: (1) area; (2) man-land interaction; and (3) spatial because the growth that is taking place and the associated needs in infrastructure are such that will impact upon each of these areas as one cannot change without affected the others. (1974, p. 6) Each of these traditions has in effect negative limitations that exist in terms of their applicability and functionality within the development of infrastructure as each of these areas and this has been demonstrated across time according to Taaffe who notes the limitations within each of these traditions.

Historically, as the school of thought underwent change and shifted forward to new 'correct' way of viewing things, the previous ways of thinking were viewed as being completely wrong and all the associated knowledge with the previous methods shunned. However, as spatial research and development has been acknowledged to have its inherent limitations, Taaffe reports that it is time that it be acknowledged that each of these ways of disseminating what is 'best' have inherent strengths and weaknesses so that the best of each of these can be integrated into the whole. Geography is stated by Taaffe to be "a remarkably diverse discipline, encompassing scholars musing on the beauties of the Laurentian Shield, developing the latest equation of Iowa, or documenting spatial injustice in the city. If the recent history of geographic though has taught us anything, it should have taught us to accept this diversity and turn it to good use. We should have also learned that each of the three views may lead to useful findings." (Taaffe, 1974, p.16)