2022 was another uncertain year. Just as society and the economy started to open up at the beginning of the year after ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, we experienced rates of inflation not seen in decades and a war in Europe. The Community and Voluntary sector proved to be a vital part of the national response to these issues at the local level highlighting yet again, just how necessary and vital the Community and Voluntary sector is. Local knowledge was key.

SNAPSHOT OF THE YEAR 2022

14,386 – Community & Voluntary Groups
2,972 – Social Inclusion Groups
673 – Environmental Groups
18,053- Member Groups

The PPNs adapted once more in 2022 to respond swiftly and effectively to an increasingly diverse variety of needs to ensure widespread and necessary community supports.  The PPNs continued to adapt in response to the changes experienced by their communities and develop innovative solutions by adopting a bottom-up approach to problem solving.

901 Representatives Sat on 418 Boards and Committees bringing the voice of the community to the decision-making table. An extensive ‘root and branch’ review of PPN structures was conducted in 2022 to consider the structures currently in place, identify any challenges, and make recommendations to strengthen and enhance Public Participation Networks. The review will provide the basis on which to develop a roadmap for implementing any necessary changes to the Public Participation Network structures.

262 consultations took place across a wide variety of topics. The PPNs continue to make a real difference to the communities they serve.  The PPNs provided multiple supports for Representatives, allowing them to fully engage and participate. There was continuous engagement with Member Groups, ensuring that vital information was widely disseminated. 2022 saw the PPNs increasing their Social Media profile.

Summary of Activity

PPNs have gone from strength to strength since their establishment in 2014. PPNs are key partners in local decision-making and are increasingly becoming the ‘go to’ for community engagement. After all, who knows better than the citizens at the heart of our communities, what is best for our communities and how to work together to achieve positive results.

• Throughout 2022, PPNs were at the forefront of Ireland’s community response to the challenges for local communities and society brought about by the war in Ukraine, and the ongoing ripple effect of the Covid-19 virus, which affected every aspect of life in Ireland. PPNs worked tirelessly within communities to put invaluable supports in place to meet a wide variety of community needs including embracing our new communities from Ukraine and other countries. Many of the wonderful initiatives undertaken in 2022 are outlined in more detail in this report.
• PPNs have an important role to play in climate action, and great potential to champion and impact climate action at both local and national level. During 2022, PPNs continued their involvement with, and contribution to, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication’s Climate Conversations. PPNs were invited to host Climate Conversation Workshops as part of the National Dialogue on Climate Action. The focus of this initiative was to bring local perspective into the national conversation.
• PPNs were also represented at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action in November 2022 to speak about PPNs and their contribution to community-led climate action. This provides opportunity to enable community climate action on a national scale.
• Progress on the Structural Review of PPNs continued with the publication of the Mazars report in June 2022. Adopting co-design engagement practices, extensive collaboration with stakeholders continues and is critical to the development of the Implementation Roadmap, aimed at strengthening and enhancing Public Participation Networks, into the future.