Project Aims

This research study aims to explore and critically evaluate the policy and practice of participatory governance in Ireland, with a specific emphasis on local participatory governance. Participatory governance refers to institutional or state-led processes that facilitate citizen voice in decision-making and policy-making processes and citizen engagement with policy-makers. 

Project Outputs

• Forde, C. (2020) ‘Participatory governance in Ireland: Institutional innovation and the quest for joined-up thinking’, Administration, 68: 3.
• Forde, C. (2020) ‘Community Development, Policy Change and Austerity in Ireland’ in S. Todd and J. Drolet (eds) Community Practice and Social Development in Social Work. New York: Springer Nature. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-6969-8_18.   
• Forde, C. (2019) 'Participatory Local Governance in Ireland: Challenges and Issues', Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the European Consortium for Political Research, 5 September, Wroclaw, Poland.
• Cullinane, M. and Forde, C. (2018) ‘Community participation in local governance in the Republic of Ireland: between civil society and the state’, Fifty Years of Local Governance Conference, Annual Conference of the International Geographical Union Commission ‘Geography of Governance’, University of Lisbon, 4-5th September 2018.
• Cullinane, M. and Forde, C. (2018) ‘Delivering for democracy? State-led participation and the changing contexts of third sector governance in Ireland’, ISTR 13th International Conference, Free University of Amsterdam, 10-13th July 2018.
• Preliminary findings of the research were presented at an ISS21-hosted policy symposium "Spaces for Change?  The Practice and Policy of Community Participation in Local Governance in Ireland" in November 2018.  

Funded by: The Irish Research Council under the Government of Ireland Research for Policy and Society programme. 

Project Duration: 2017-2019

Project Team: Dr. Catherine Forde (PI) c.forde@ucc.ie and Dr. Mark Cullinane (Post-doctoral Researcher)