COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 13, 2014

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on the consultative PPN process and to include in the report details such as the number that attended the briefing, the issues raised at it, the number of queries that followed and the number of organisations that responded and that subsequently registered, and to comment on the process?

REPLY

The former minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan established a working group, in September 2013 under the chairmanship of Fr. Sean Healy which  proposed a new mechanism to enable the community and voluntary and environmental sectors take an active formal role in the policy making  of the Local Authority.  This group consulted with various stakeholders and reported to the Minister.  This report is available at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Community/CommunityVoluntarySupports/FileDownLoad,36779,en.pdf

Following consideration of this report the Minister advised all Local Authorities to develop Public Participation Networks (PPN). South Dublin County Council met with the two organisations in this County (Community Platform and Community Forum) which represent the Community and Voluntary Sector and worked with them to find the best way to introduce this new framework in this County.   

An information meeting was held on 10th September 2014 and approximately 130 people attended to explain the new Public Participation Network (PPN)that is being set up in South Dublin County.  The PPN's are being set up nationally and guidance is being given by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.  Some of those present at the briefing expressed their dissatisfaction with the establishment of these new PPN's due to the lack of consultation nationally while others welcomed the new structures.  The Community Platform who had worked with the Council in preparing for the information meeting, felt they could no longer support the establishment of the PPN as they considered it was diluting the social inclusion voice which they represent.The concerns raised at the meeting were conveyed to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. 

As advised by the Department and the guidelines issued notices were placed in local papers inviting community groups to register and application forms have been circulated.  The PPN structure allows for community and voluntary organisations to register under one of three colleges:  Community, Social Inclusion and Environment.The PPN is a flat structure without a board, providing equal voice, choice and representation to all interested groups. It also provides for strong two way lines of communication supported by administration staff.

Groups are encouraged to register before 10th October and only those registered at that stage will be eligible to nominate representatives to the various committees of the Council including Strategic Policy Committees.  Completed application forms continue to be submitted. A first meeting of the Plenary which is the ruling body of the PPN which is made up of the registered groups will be held on 21st October 2014.

Registration is  open until 10th October 2014.