Notice regarding Clare PPN representatives contesting local, general or EU elections
In advance of next year’s local elections the Secretariat of Clare Public Participation Network wishes to set out the procedure and guidelines it will be following should any of those who hold representative positions for the PPN decide to contest Local, Oireachtas, or EU elections.
About Clare PPN:
Clare Public Participation Network (PPN) is open to community, voluntary, social inclusion and environmental groups based in the County. The primary function of the PPN is to allow these groups to give input and have their voices heard within the formal decision making structures of Clare County Council. The PPN is now the main way that Clare County Council connects with groups active in the county. Whenever the local authority needs people to participate in consultations or sit on the committees that form policies it will call on the PPN to select these people by holding elections from within its membership. The PPN’s role is to ensure that community groups have their own platform which is separate to those held by Councillors, TDs ,Senators, and MEPs.
Clare PPN respects every person’s right to enter electoral politics and commends those willing to step forward and work on behalf of their communities within conventional electoral politics. Clare PPN advises however, that should any person who holds a representative seat on behalf of the member groups of Clare PPN decide to contest a seat at Local, Oireachtas or EU level they will be required to step down from their PPN held position and that an election will be held within the PPN to replace them on the board or committee which they sit. This will apply from the point at which any PPN representative publicly declares their intention to contest an official local, Oireachtas or EU election.
This is in line with the national PPN User Guide as updated in March 2017 which states the following:
‘PPN representation is based in volunteer led organisations and, as such, is a separate process from Government Politics e.g. TDs, MEPs, Senators, Councillors etc. Thus:
- Elected representatives of Local Authorities, Oireachtas members or MEPs cannot be nominated through this process.
- If anyone nominated through this process subsequently decides to enter electoral politics, they must immediately resign their PPN representative role.
- A person who has stood for election or been co-opted or who has been an elected representative on any level of government (local, national or MEP) may not be chosen to represent the PPN on any representative role for one year after the date of the election or after completing their term of office.’
The Secretariat of Clare PPN is most grateful for the time, commitment and expertise that all its voluntary representatives bring to their positions and should any of them chose to enter electoral politics we wish them the very best of luck and are sure they will contribute greatly to their communities as they have done within Clare PPN.
