Roscommon Public Participation Network (PPN) has issued an invitation to community and voluntary groups in Roscommon to join their local PPN and help build a better future for the county.
The call-out comes as a new national brand identity and awareness campaign for Public Participation Networks was launched by Minister for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien in Dublin recently.
Roscommon PPN, one of 31 local authorities across the State, was established in 2014. 25 of its members currently sit on nine boards and committees of local decision-making bodies and, since it was set up, it has contributed to numerous local policies and undertaken a diverse range of events, programmes and initiatives for its membership.
PPNs allow local authorities to connect with community groups around their county and give people a greater say in local government decisions that affect their communities.
Membership also gives groups access to benefits including bespoke training programmes, information on funding and grants, as well as networking and learning opportunities with other local organisations.
Secretariat member of Roscommon PPN, Niall Croghan, says joining Roscommon Public Participation Network is “a fantastic way of getting involved in local decision-making and contributing to a thriving community”.
Chief Executive of Roscommon County Council Shane Tiernan said: “In implementing the Public Participation Network (PPN) model at a local level, the public and its affiliated organisations can articulate a diverse range of views and interests which feed into the local decision-making and policy-making structures of Roscommon County Council.
“Some examples of these structures include Roscommon County Council Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs), the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) and the Heritage Forum.
“The equitable representation of communities on these committees is of paramount importance to Roscommon County Council. It allows us to seek valuable contributions and input from the public.
“This enables us to formulate key local development policies including the Local Economic and Community Plan. Well-functioning PPN structures allow inclusion and democracy to be at the heart of every community”.
For further information, visit the website of Roscommon PPN: https://www.roscommonppn.ie/.
