Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
2096. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline the role of public participation networks in climate action; if there are plans to increase the number of PPN staff in each local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38904/23]
View answerPublic Participation Networks (PPNs) were established under the Local Government Reform Act of 2014. They provide representation for the community sector in local policymaking, giving local groups a greater say in local government decisions which affect their communities.
There is a PPN in each of the 31 local authority areas, and membership of a PPN is open to volunteer-led and not-for-profit groups in each area. When applying to join a PPN, organisations are required to specify whether they are from the community and voluntary, social inclusion or environmental pillars. The network has grown substantially since its establishment, and the 2021 PPN Annual Report indicated a PPN total membership of over 18,000 member groups, 655 of whom were Environmental Groups.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 is a priority for Government and represents an important milestone in Ireland’s efforts to address climate change and the impact it is having on both Ireland and the world. PPNs are acknowledged in the legislation as key players at local level; the Climate Action Act requires Local Authorities to develop Climate Action Plans for their local areas every five years, and mandates the Local Authorities to consult with the PPNs in the development of those local plans.
PPNs are involved in a wide range of projects and initiatives at local level aimed at making a positive impact on the environment, including for example organising outdoor environmental events, partnering with relevant organisations to promote environmental issues and increase understanding of the work of the PPN environmental college, hosting webinars on environmental areas of interest and contributing to local policy making on environmental issues through their membership of relevant Strategic Policy Committees.
PPNs have also contributed to national climate action policy-making by taking part in the discussions on the national Climate Action Plan. PPNs took part in the 2021 Climate Conversations hosted by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), and in 2022 DECC invited all PPNs to host Climate Conversation workshops as part of the delivery of the National Dialogue on Climate Action. The aim was to widen the discussion and get a better understanding of how PPNs are leading their communities in climate action and dialogue and to feed their input into the Climate Action Plan 2023. During the resulting workshops, members of PPNs’ local communities raised issues, highlighted positive initiatives in their areas, and generated ideas for moving their regions toward more sustainable practices.
PPN staffing and skills issues are being examined in the context of the ongoing PPN structural review process. In line with the Programme for Government commitment, an independent review of PPN structures was undertaken in 2021. Its purpose was to assess the operation of the network to date, and to make recommendations as to how to build on existing strengths and support the future development of PPNs. The independent review report, produced by Mazars, was published in June 2022 and is available on the DRCD website.
Following the publication of the review report, a call for feedback was issued to all PPNs, Local Authorities, civic society pillars and to a range of related stakeholders. Stakeholders were asked to provide their feedback on the recommendations in Mazars report, priorities for action, and any other issues of concern which they would like to raise.
A Working Group has been established to oversee the development and implementation of a Roadmap of future actions, based on the Structural Review Report and feedback received on it from stakeholders. The Working Group is made up of a range of PPN stakeholder groups, including PPN staff and volunteers, civil society groups, local authorities and relevant government departments.
Staffing and skills was one of the areas identified during the structural review process, and in the discussions held by the Working Group in developing a draft Implementation Roadmap. The draft Roadmap has been agreed by the Working Group, and my Department has appointed an independent service provider to consult more widely with the PPN stakeholders on the draft Roadmap and make recommendations on its content based on the feedback received. Once that process is complete, the Roadmap is expected to be submitted for approval later this year. The Working Group will remain in place to oversee the implementation of the Roadmap and ensure it enhances the effectiveness of the PPNs.
Given the growth and change that has occurred since PPNs were established, the Implementation Roadmap will be an important stepping-stone towards enabling PPNs to continue to thrive. Given the huge level of engagement from stakeholders during this process, I have every confidence that PPNs will emerge from this process stronger.
