County Longford PPN marked 10th anniversary

The County Longford PPN marked their 10th anniversary at the County Plenary Meeting held at the end of July.
Chaired by Tess Murphy, PPN Secretariat Member, the network heard of the expansion from 93 groups to almost 600.
“The core purpose of PPNs is to support local groups to have a say in the decisions made by the local authority that impact their daily lives,” Ms Murphy said, “That involves PPN staff in supporting groups to do this through information sharing, holding elections to fulfil membership of various local committees and agencies.”

The meeting chair commended the local authority's support of the PPN: “This is a massive workload for two staff to do effectively as well as the detailed reporting and administration required by the department.”
Siobhán Cronogue, PPN Coordinator, updated those in attendance on the PPN workplan and finances: “PPN’s around the country are writing to the Taoiseach requesting an increase in budget 2025.

“PPNs will also be requesting local authorities to increase their contribution to PPNs budgets to reflect the valuable work done by PPNs,” Ms Cranogue said.
The importance of public input into the consultation process with Longford County Council was highlighted by Ms Murphy: “PPN members can either make their own group submission to the Corporate Plan 2024 – 2029, Customer Services Charter 2024 - 2029, Draft Strategic Policy Committee Scheme 2024 – 2029 or send in their thoughts and ideas to Ms Cronogue and she will include them in the overall PPN submissions.”
A statement to the Plenary Meeting from Longford County Council's Director of Services, Community and Enterprise, Barbara Heslin, referenced the “utmost importance to the Council” of public input.

Guest speaker Bridie Costello Hynes made a presentation on Offaly’s Energy Charter. Ms Costello-Hynes referenced the impact of the Just Transition fund: “With the closure of Power Stations and the cessation of peat production the Midlands region is experiencing huge change from an Economic, Social and environmental perspective.”
The delegates agreed that being a Just Transition area, it was identified that the community do not have an equal footing, in fact they felt disempowered and engagement was considered a Tick Box exercise. Communities were very clear that they understood the rationale for Just Transition, however they did not feel they had a voice at the table.
Ms Costello- Hynes explained that at the November 2023 Plenary in Offaly, the membership identified the need for a Community voice in terms of the pace of growth of wind and solar developments.

Before the meeting closed the following PPN Reps were ratified by the full membership and wished good luck in their new role; Eileen Mc Ardle, PPN Social Inclusion Rep on the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), Enda Mc Manus, PPN Environmental Rep on the LCDC, Kathleen Dowd, PPN Rep on TFI Local Link and Miceal Nolan, PPN Rep on Longford Community Resources clg.