Press release
Minister Joe O’Brien addresses 5th National Public Participation Network Annual Conference
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development, Charities and Integration, Joe O’Brien, today (5 October 2023) attended the fifth National Public Participation Network Conference held in the Arklow Bay Hotel, Wicklow.
Addressing the delegates, Minister O’Brien spoke about the important contribution PPNs make:
"PPNs are key partners in local decision making and are increasingly becoming the ‘go-to’ for community engagement. After all, who knows better than the citizens at the heart of our communities what is best for our communities and how to work together to achieve positive results.”
The two-day conference event was hosted by Wicklow Public Participation Network, in conjunction with Wicklow County Council, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the National PPN Advisory Group. It was attended by a wide range of PPN stakeholders, including volunteer representatives from PPNs across the country, local authority officials, and elected representatives.
Minister O’Brien highlighted the value of the work done by PPNs in promoting citizen engagement and participative democracy:
“PPNs give communities access to decision-makers in a very unique way. They provide a voice for communities in local decision-making and create strong relationships between stakeholders.”
The Minister continued:
"Hundreds of PPN representatives currently sit on boards and committees of local decision-making bodies across the country, contributing to decisions on housing, climate, transport, migrant integration, community health and wellbeing, policing and many more. Your local knowledge is key to understanding and delivering information, support and practical solutions to issues in your areas. You are bringing the community voice to the table to help ensure no one is left behind.”
The conference, which was attended by 200 delegates, had a varied and interesting agenda of workshops and presentations on, for example, collaborative projects between PPNs and Local Authorities, and innovative community schemes initiated by PPNs around the country. It also included site trips to a number of locations around Wicklow, where delegates met with local community organisations that are involved in and empowered by Wicklow PPN.
Concluding the Minister said:
"From my own perspective and that of my department, one clear message I would like you all to take away from this conference is that we will continue our support of PPNs into the future.
"You are all, as our awareness campaign said, building a better future and better communities for everyone.”
Established under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, Public Participation Networks enable local authorities to connect with volunteer-run groups around the country. They provide a mechanism by which citizens can have a greater say in local government decisions that affect their own communities.
A PPN is a network for Community and Voluntary, Social Inclusion and Environmental groups in each local authority area.
PPNs provide the voice of the community for local authority boards and committees. Where a local authority requires a representative from the community to sit on their boards or committees such as Strategic Policy Committees or Local Development (LCDCs), they must source this representative from the PPN. PPNs work to enable the community to be represented in decision-making processes that impact citizens through representation on council committees, consultation processes, policy submissions and more.
The PPN is therefore the “go to” for all local authorities who wish to benefit from community and voluntary expertise in their area.
Membership of a PPN is open to all volunteer-led/not-for-profit groups in a local authority area. More than 18,500 groups nationwide are currently members of a PPN.