Ó An Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail
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Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien, has today (5 November 2024) officially launched a new video which aims to support local decision makers, to ensure that disadvantaged communities have real opportunities to be heard in local planning and decision-making processes.
The video features a wide range of stakeholders who highlight the importance of engagement at local level, ensuring that the most marginalised are involved with developing policy, or future decisions that affect their communities.
The video complements the previously published ‘Guide for Inclusive Community Engagement in Local Planning and Decision Making’ which was co-produced by the Department of Rural and Community Development with Pobal, Community Work Ireland (CWI) and the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN), and supported by the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the department.
The guide provides a range of materials to organisations to assist them with implementing key principles and processes associated with inclusive engagement.
Speaking today, Minister Joe O’Brien said:
“I am pleased to see the production of this new resource which demonstrates how the ‘Guide for Inclusive Community Engagement in Local Planning and Decision Making’ can be best utilised. Encouraging and fostering public participation is vital for decision-making and future policy development. This new tool can be used as a reference when organisations are preparing and planning to consult with marginalised communities and the groups which represent them. The Guide and supporting resources, builds on Ireland’s commitment to the Sustainable Development principle of ‘Leave no one behind’.”
CEO of Pobal, Anna Shakespeare also welcomed the launch of the video and explained:
“This new, engaging resource includes practical advice, local examples and inputs from community representatives and other stakeholders, demonstrating the importance of inclusive community engagement. It highlights the outcomes which can be achieved when the right processes are put into practice. I would like to thank all the individuals and organisations involved in the production of the video and for sharing their experiences and learnings which will help and support others as they commence their own projects.”
Anastasia Crickley, Community Work Ireland (CWI) also emphasised the importance of the new tool:
“This video provides a useful and complementary tool to the Guide for Inclusive Community Engagement in Local Planning and Decision Making. CWI welcomes the clear message coming from both that conditions must be created and resourced for communities with the lived experiences to give meaningful inputs into the local and national policies and decisions that affect their lives. This input, which will bring better outcomes for all stakeholders, has to go beyond consultation to involvement in the design and implementation of policies and plans which affect in particular marginalised and minority communities.”
This initiative is part of a wider Dormant Accounts Funded project on the engagement of marginalised communities and is just one of a wide variety of actions being delivered under Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, the whole of government strategy to support the Community and Voluntary Sector in Ireland 2019-2024.
The Department of Rural and Community Development was established to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.
Its focus is on strengthening community resilience and social cohesion, supporting communities so that they are empowered to face current and future challenges.
The video was commissioned by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and produced by Mick Ruane on behalf of DRCD, Pobal and CWI, who would like to acknowledge and thank all participants for their involvement.
All parties also wish to acknowledge the insightful contributions of Mr. Seán Regan (RIP), Social Inclusion and Community Activation (SICAP) and Roma Community Development Project Manager with Longford Community Resources Limited, who passed away in September 2024.
The five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland sets out a long-term vision for our communities in Ireland. It sets a general direction of travel for government policy in relation to the community development, local development and the community and voluntary sectors for the coming decade. The Strategy was co-produced by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Central and Local Government colleagues, and the community and voluntary sectors.
The guide was launched by Minister of State, with responsibility for Community Development, Charities and Integration, Joe O’Brien, in February 2023. An updated, second edition was published in October 2023 using learnings from three pilot programmes and feedback gained from the process.
The handy ‘how-to’ reference guide is aimed at ensuring that the most marginalised and disadvantaged communities have opportunities to engage and participate in local planning and decision making. Such inclusive engagement will ensure that their perspectives are reflected in the decisions which affect them and will facilitate more inclusive measures to support sustainable development at a local level.
The resource guide was developed in conjunction with Pobal and the community and voluntary sector, as part of a wider Dormant Accounts Funded project on the engagement of marginalised communities at local level.
The Dormant Accounts Acts 2001-2012, together with the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Act 2003, provide a framework for the administration of unclaimed accounts in credit institutions (that is, banks, building societies and An Post) and unclaimed life assurance policies in insurance undertakings.
The main purpose of the legislation is to reunite account or policy holders with their funds in credit institutions or insurance undertakings and in this regard, these bodies are required to take steps to identify and contact the owners of dormant accounts and unclaimed life assurance policies.
However, in order to utilise the unused funds the legislation also introduced a scheme for the disbursement of funds that are unlikely to be reclaimed from dormant accounts and unclaimed policies for the purposes of measures to assist:
1. the personal and social development of persons who are economically or socially disadvantaged;
2. the educational development of persons who are educationally disadvantaged; or
3. persons with a disability
Pobal is an organisation that works on behalf of the Government of Ireland and in collaboration with international partners, to support communities and local agencies towards achieving social inclusion and development.
Pobal operates under the aegis of the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Pobal is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. Members of the Board are appointed by Government, on the nomination of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, in line with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards. The company operates on the basis of a framework agreement with the Department of Rural and Community Development and programme-specific service level agreements with individual departments.
Pobal administers programmes on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), the Department of Health (DoH) /HSE and a number of EU bodies.
Pobal works in the areas of social inclusion, early childhood care and education, local and community development, peace and reconciliation, equality, labour market supports, youth services and education and training.