Ireland is one of the most centralised democratic states in Europe, which means that local authorities in Ireland do not have the same decision-making power on local issues as their counterparts throughout Europe. The Green Party believes that decisions should be taken at the lowest effective level, as close as possible to the people affected by those decisions. Local authorities must therefore be given more powers, with true decentralisation of decision-making out of Dublin, not a mere moving of offices around the State

It is not only local authorities that require greater power, so do the people, via better accountability and more involvement. Democracy and accountability are key issues for the Green Party. We believe that in tandem with greater powers for local authorities, there must be greater accountability to the communities they serve through more robust regulation and greater transparency in their day-to-day business. Only by these means can local communities ensure that their interests are at the heart of local government

In keeping with Green Party policy to strengthen and democratise local government, Green Party Minister John Gormley and his department are currently finalising a white paper on local government reform to consolidate local authority powers not only in the area of 'hard' services such as housing, roads and water but also in terms of the 'softer' tasks related to community-building. In practice, the proposals in the white paper will ensure:

• Greater decision-making power at local level balanced by rigorous national standards
• Transparency
• Accountability
• Value for money
• Greater powers in the area of raising and spending finance locally
• Greater community involvement in local government

We believe that local government reform is about changing the rules so that ordinary people can participate and have their voices heard.

We want people to be involved in running their own communities.

Green councillors work hard to ensure access to and participation in the democratic system for all citizens so that they are actively informed of and involved in decisions that affect their lives. Our councillors also support the process of participatory budgeting at local government level, which allows citizens who are impacted by the local authority budget to have a say in how that some funds are allocated.

Local authority services

• Agriculture, education, health and welfare
• Other services
• Recreation and amenity
• Housing and building
• Environmental protection
• Planning and development
• Roads and transport
• Water and sewerage

1. First and foremost, you can participate in local government by using your vote at election time. By voting for those who you believe will best represent you, you are participating in the democratic system.
2. Make yourself aware of what is going on at local level by:
   • Reading local newspapers where council proceedings are reported.
   • Attending council meetings as an observer in the public area or via webcasts where these are available. If webcasts are not available, ask your elected representatives to make such a facility available and to allow council meetings to be more accessible to the public by whatever means possible. In addition, ask that all discussions and decisions taken be made available on the internet.
   • Sign up to your council's database to receive e-alerts (via SMS or email), in which the council informs you of important issues such as water shortages, road closures, and planning consultations/decisions. Again, if e-alerts are not available, ask your local representatives to ensure that a council database is set up. Green councillors are already doing this but many local authorities do not yet have Green Party members to make this request for you.
   • Check the attendance lists for council meetings to ensure you are being represented as fully as possible.
3. On local issues that are important to you, such as development plans, local authority spending, traffic management, water quality, make your views known to your local authority so that they become aware of local opinion. You can do this in the following ways:
   • Contact your elected representatives by phone, email, in writing or in person.
   • Make a submission on local development plans.
   • Ask your elected representatives to allow for a local plebiscite on vital local issues that will affect the whole community so that citizens can express their views through a direct vote.
   • Ask your elected representatives to facilitate the use of citizens' petitions so that if enough signatures are gathered, a motion is tabled on which councillors must vote.
   • Ask your elected representatives for the facility of e-surveys in which members of the public respond to texts or emails from their local authority seeking their opinion on specific issues.
   • Ask your elected representatives to consider introducing a participatory budgeting process for part of the local authority budget.