A new awareness campaign for Public Participation Networks (PPNs) was launched this week to encourage community groups to join and have their voice heard in local decision-making.
The campaign also aims to encourage groups that represent young and marginalised people to join their local PPN.
Speaking at the campaign launch, Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development, Charities and Integration, Joe O’Brien said:
“Public Participation Networks give communities across Ireland a voice in local decision-making and bring valuable on-the-ground, experience and expertise into local and national policy development. The strength and impact of PPNs can be seen in how they represented volunteers and community groups within the responses to COVID-19, working with local authorities and state agencies. Through local action, PPNs also contribute to policymaking at national level, such as the development of the Climate Action Plan 2021, when PPNs hosted and facilitated important local community conversations around the country.”
Public Participation Networks allow local authorities to connect with community groups and give people a greater say in local government decisions that affect their communities.
Each county and city in Ireland has its own PPN, and more than 18,000 community and voluntary groups are currently members.
In June 2022, the Department of Rural and Community Development published the PPN Structural Review Report.
It found that not all PPNs operated independently and recommended a review of the PPN structure to ensure independence is maintained.
Some of the projects and initiatives undertaken by PPNs include: summer camps for children with autism in Longford, the development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy in Clare, and liaising with women living in Direct Provision in Galway to help improve their employment prospects.
Cliona Kelliher from Kildare PPN said: “More than a thousand PPN representatives are currently on boards and committees of local decision-making bodies. They are contributing to decisions on climate, transport, migrant integration, community health and wellbeing, policing and many more.”
John Mulholland, CEO of Laois CoCo and Chair of the CCMA Rural Development, Community, Culture and Heritage (RCCH) Committee said:
“The PPN structures offer Local Authorities a way to collaborate directly with volunteer community groups, who do so much for their localities. PPNs play an important role in developing our key policies and strategies, and each Local Authority provides considerable support to their local PPNs in recognition of this. This campaign will boost the profiles of PPNs, which is well-deserved in light of their work.”
Membership of a local PPN also gives groups access to training programmes, information on funding and grants, and on proposals or decisions being made in their county, as well as networking and learning opportunities.
For more information, see www.gov.ie/PPN.
