Media Release: Minister Joe O’Brien Announces Budget Increase for Public Participation Networks at 10-year Anniversary Gathering
Minister Joe O’Brien announces Budget increase for Public Participation Networks at 10-year anniversary gathering
- Minister O’Brien announces increased PPN funding in Budget 2025
- Public Participation Networks (PPNs) are celebrating 10 years of giving local communities a voice in local government policy
- wo-day conference, whose theme was “Collaboration for Resilient Communities’, brings PPN representatives together to discuss citizen engagement
- Almost 21,000 community groups nationwide are members of the 31 PPNs across Ireland.
Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development, Charities and Integration, Joe O’Brien, TD sent a message of support and encouragement to the sixth National Public Participation Network Conference held at the Strand Hotel in Limerick.
Addressing the delegates via a pre-recorded video message, Minister O’Brien spoke about increased funding for PPNs he secured in Budget 2025:
As we look to the next 10 years of PPNs, I am pleased to announce that I have secured additional funding for PPNs in Budget 2025. I have directed that all of this additional funding will provided directly to PPNs.
So, from next January each PPN will receive just over €100,000 in core funding from my Department, more than double the original allocation of €50,000 each in 2015 and an increase of almost 20% on 2024
The two-day conference event (Thursday 17th and Friday 18th October, 2024) was hosted by Limerick Public Participation Network, in conjunction with Limerick 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.
Opening the conference, Bairbre Nic Aongusa, Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Rural and Community Development, spoke about the contribution PPNs have made:
Collaboration is a core characteristic of PPNs, a value that is particularly needed in a time when bad actors would divide communities and stifle discussion. PPNs remind us that a healthy democracy thrives on robust debate and strong opinions aired in good faith with the honest intention of making things better for all.
The conference, which was attended by approximately 200 delegates and had a varied and interesting agenda of workshops and presentations.
These included a workshop celebrating “Ten years of PPNs”, as well as discussions on collaboration between PPNs and Local Authorities, and innovative projects undertaken by Offaly, Tipperary and Limerick PPNs.
The conference also included site trips to a number of locations around Limerick, where delegates met with local community organisations that are involved in and empowered by Limerick PPN.
Concluding, the Minister thanked PPNs for their sterling work, and for the extremely valuable contributions they make in their respective counties:
I want to commend and congratulate everyone involved in the network of 31 PPNs across the country - the member groups, the volunteers, the Secretariats and the staff. Your dedication and hard work is truly admirable.
The Department of Rural and Community Development
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.
About PPNs
Public Participation Networks are designed to identify and respond to the needs and priorities of their communities. Each of Ireland’s 31 local authority areas has a PPN.
Established under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, Public Participation Networks (PPNs) allow 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 allow local authorities to connect with volunteer-run groups around the country. As a result, PPNs provide a mechanism by which citizens can have a greater say in local government decisions that affect their own communities.
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. Almost 21,000 community groups nationwide are currently members of a PPN.
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