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What is the Kerry Public Participation Network?

Kerry Public Participation Network has been established to enable people and community groups in Co Kerry to have a say on issues that concern them. These Public Participation Networks (PPNs) are structures for public engagement and participation in Local Government in each Local Authority area.

Kerry Public Participation Network is also a Registered Charity. RCN  20204668

The PPN is the mechanism through which the Local Authority links/engages with the broader community sector and are the representative voice of the community and voluntary, social inclusion and environmental sectors.

The main role of the PPN is to form a network bringing together all community and voluntary groups, social inclusion groups, and environmental interest groups. Information is shared and people can work together on policy matters.

The PPN also facilitates groups to nominate representatives to local authority policy making boards and committees including the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) and Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs).

The national guidelines define the types of groups that can register for the PPN structure as follows:

• Environmental – Organisations whose primary activities are environmental protection and/or environmental sustainability.

• Social Inclusion – Organisations whose activities focus on social inclusion, social justice and/or equality. Examples include organisations which aim to support people with a disability, refugees and asylum seekers, older people, women, young people and those living in poverty.

• Community & Voluntary – Any organisation whose primary activities are other than those listed above belong in this category.

When a group registers it becomes part of the County PPN Structure. Registration is easy. Please complete the Registration Form on the home page. There is no charge. Registered groups receive regular updates, information on funding opportunities and also benefit from the group insurance scheme.

County PPN

Every organisation that registers becomes part of the County PPN. All registered environmental, social inclusion, voluntary and community groups in Co Kerry are invited to become part of this structure. A County Plenary Meeting is when all registered Groups are invited to a County Meeting however because of the size of the County Mini Plenaries can take place throughout Kerry at these meetings information is shared. Information is also shared via the Kerry PPN website and Facebook page.

Municipal District PPN

In Co. Kerry there are 5 Municipal Districts; Tralee, Listowel, Killarney, Kenmare and Corca Dhuabhne (see section on Municipal Districts). Each Municipal District has its own PPN. When registering, organisations select which municipal district they are located in. If you are engaged county wide please register in all 5 areas. Each Municipal District PPN is expected to hold regular meetings made up of all registered community&voluntary, environmental and social inclusion organisations in the District. Information from these meetings will be forwarded to the County Secretariat by the Municipal District Representative.

The Municipal District PPN has the freedom to engage as it sees fit in whatever way it wishes to promote local development and in this way it can harness local capacity and strengthen local development in a very real manner. Each Municipal District PPN elects a member to the Secretariat.

When an organisation/group joins the PPN, they select the type of group that best describes their work and the Municipal District that they are based in.

The Secretariat

Each County PPN has a Secretariat. This Secretariat comprises of one representative from each Municipal Area and two representatives from each of the Electoral colleges of Community&Voluntary, Social Inclusion and Environment.

The Secretariat is elected from the membership as outlined in the Constitution

The Kerry PPN Secretariat is an elected body whose role is to:

• Facilitate the implementation of the decisions of the Plenary
• Ensure the proper functioning of the PPN
• Co-ordinate activities of the PPN
• Communicate extensively and regularly with all PPN members and in this process disseminate information concerning all PPN activities as widely as possible

There are 11 members on the Kerry PPN Secretariat. An election in each of the 5 Municipal District PPNs elects 1 member from each to the Secretariat. The other members are elected by the 3 electoral colleges of the County PPN who each nominate 2 members to the Secretariat. The Secretariat meets on a monthly basis and is the Administrative Body of the PPN.

Linkage Groups

Linkage Groups are information and support groups set up to support the representatives elected on to the different committees. Set up on a thematic basis members can discuss and develop policy. These Linkage Groups are open to members of all PPN affiliated groups/organisations and people that feel that they can contribute to the topic or issues being discussed.

Kerry PPN Representations on various bodies

Strategic Policy Committees (9 Seats)

Kerry Joint Policing Committee ( 7 Seats)

KERRY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION NETWORK AS A REGISTERED CHARITY HAS FOUR TRUSTEES

they are:

Maura Fitzgerald ;  John Spillane ;  Gillian Wharton-Slattery ;  William Morrell