B.Comm. M.Econ.Sc. PG Cert in Teaching

Contact Details

University Lecturer
Economics
St. Angela's College
Sligo

T: +353 71 919 5542 [Sligo]
E: smcnena@stangelas.nuigalway.ie
University Teacher
Room 233
Cairnes Building
NUI Galway

T: Ext. 3053
E: stephen.mcnena@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

I hold a B.Comm. and a M.Econ.Sc. from NUI Galway.  In my teaching, I aspire to engage students with economics and economic concepts.  I show how economics can explain and help solve many challenges facing society. I am based at St. Angela’s College, Sligo, a college of NUI Galway.

I lecture on the BA (Youth and Family Studies) degree at NUI Galway. I also teach on the B.Ed. in Home Economics, Nursing and Access programmes at St. Angela’s College.

I am involved in research on local government economics with colleagues in NUI Galway, and collaborators from other universities.

Research Interests

My areas of research interest include public finances, taxation and the welfare state, as well as transport policy, especially public transit.

Since 2013 I have become more involved in researching Local Government economics, with internal and external collaborators.

Previous projects include a socio-economic analysis of regions of Ireland (2012) and an evaluation of Ballinasloe marina on behalf of Ballinasloe Town Council and Galway County Council (2013).

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2016) 'An Analysis of Local Public Finances and the 2014 Local Government Reforms'
Turley, G.and McNena, S. (2016) 'An Analysis of Local Public Finances and the 2014 Local Government Reforms'. The Economic And Social Review, 47 (2):299-326 [Details]
(2016) 'Benchmarking the financial performance of local councils in Ireland'
Robbins G., Turley G., and McNena S. (2016) 'Benchmarking the financial performance of local councils in Ireland'. Administration, 64 (1):1-27 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'A Needs and Resources Assessment of Fiscal Equalisation in the Irish Local Government System'
Turley, G., Flannery, D. and McNena, S. (2015) 'A Needs and Resources Assessment of Fiscal Equalisation in the Irish Local Government System'. The Economic And Social Review, 46 (3):459-484 [Details]
(2015) 'A Framework to Measure the Financial Performance of Local Governments'
Turley, G., Robbins, G., McNena, S. (2015) 'A Framework to Measure the Financial Performance of Local Governments'. Local Government Studies, 41 (3):401-420 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'From boom to bust? The financial performance of city and county councils'
Robbins, G., Turley, G. and McNena S. (2014) 'From boom to bust? The financial performance of city and county councils'. Administration, 62 (1):119-151 [Details]

Conference Contributions

  Year Publication
(2014) Irish Accounting and Finance Association Annual Conference,
McNena, S. (2014) From Boom to Bust? The Financial Performance of City and County Councils in Ireland. [Conference Paper], Irish Accounting and Finance Association Annual Conference, Belfast , 29-MAY-14 - 30-MAY-14. [Details]

Conference Paper

  Year Publication
(2005) Welfare State in Ireland 1997-2002. Belgium: Presented at the Conference the State of the Welfare State Anno.
McNena, S (2005) Welfare State in Ireland 1997-2002. Belgium: Presented at the Conference the State of the Welfare State Anno. Conference Paper [Details]

Non Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2013) An evaluation of Ballinasloe marina.
McNena, S. (2013) An evaluation of Ballinasloe marina. Non Published Reports [Details]
(2002) Sligo County - Economic, Social and Cultural Profile.
McNena, S. (2002) Sligo County - Economic, Social and Cultural Profile. Sligo: Non Published Reports [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2016 NUI Galway President's Award for Teaching Excellence - nomination NUI Galway
2015 NUI Galway President's Award for Teaching Excellence - nomination NUI Galway

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2014 NUI Galway Postgraduate Diploma Stand-alone module on Learning Technologies
2009 NUI Galway Postgraduate certificate in Teaching and learning Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning

Teaching Interests

Stephen teaches on, and contributes to, a wide range of modules: macroeconomics, mathematical economics, social policy, environmental issues and health economics.

Recent Postgraduate Students

  Graduation Name Degree Primary Supervisor
2016 Niall Pender, M.Econ.Sc. 2015/16 Y
2016 Alasdair Walsh, M.Econ.Sc 2015/16 Y
2015 Carol McLoughlin, MSc Health economics 2014/15 Y

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
2016/17 Applied Public Policy EC192
2016/17 Economics of Public and Social Policy EC267
2016/17 Economics of Family Policy EC272
2016/17 Intermediate Macroeconomics EC253.2 online module
2016/17 Introduction to Youth and Family studies SP1103 One-third of module -
2016/17 Microeconomics EC 2.1 B.Ed. programme at St. Angela's College, Sligo
2016/17 Macroeconomics EC 2.2 B.Ed. programme at St. Angela's College, Sligo
2014/15 NUI Galway Access programme - Economics module Access programme at St. Angela's College, Sligo
2014/15 NUI Galway Access programme - Advanced Maths Access programme at St. Angela's College, Sligo
2016/17 Introductory Macroeconomics EC 1.2 B.Ed. programme at St. Angela's College, Sligo
2013/14 Introductory Macroeconomics EC134
2013/14 NUI Galway Access programme - maths module
2013/14 Economics Coursework and Applications EC190
2012/13 Understanding Community and Environment EC260
2012/13 Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Economics EC264

Internal Collaborators

  Name Description of Collaboration
Dr. Geraldine Robbins
Dr. Gerard Turley

External Collaborators

  Name Organisation / Institute Country Description of Collaboration
Dr. Brian O'Boyle St. Angela's College, Sligo
Teaching