Secretariat Nomination Form

More Information on the Role of the Secretariat

The Secretariat is a voluntary board elected by member groups within the Kilkenny PPN to act as an administrative body on behalf of the network between plenary meetings.

The secretariat is composed of one representative from each of the Kilkenny County Municipal Districts (4), as well as two representatives from each of the three Pillars of the PPN (6).

There are a minimum of 10 meetings per year, with meetings typically taking place once per month over an online Zoom video meeting.

The Role Of The PPN Secretariat Is To:

• Help put operational decisions of the Plenary in place.
• Make sure that the PPN is working properly in between Plenaries on behalf of the Member Groups.
• Oversee the participation of PPN Representatives on their respective committees and ensure a reporting mechanism is in place to feedback to the wider PPN, including the facilitation of Linkage Groups.
• Organise or help to organise the PPN activities on behalf of the Member Groups.
• Communicate regularly with PPN Members and share information about PPN activities as widely as possible.
• Keep correct, up to date, records of PPN business, including minutes of meetings and make sure agendas are circulated in good time.
• Be a point of contact for the PPN for the Local Authority, Department of Rural and Community Development, other PPNs, the National Advisory Group and other stakeholders of the PPN.
• Facilitate and enable the PPN Workers (Staff) in their day to day activities to deliver the objectives of the PPN.

Criteria for qualification for Secretariat Members

Skills and Experience

Persons being nominated to the Secretariat should have some or all of the following skills and attributes:

• A keen interest and awareness of general issues in the Pillar/Municipal District you are seeking to represent.
• Be working on the ground, on a voluntary or paid basis, in a community group.
• Good organisational skills.
• Experience of taking part on a board or committee.
•  A commitment to attend meetings and PPN events and participating fully in the duties of the Secretariat.

Guidelines for Nominations

• Nominated candidates must have no political affiliations, and must represent one or more of the following:
  • Community & Voluntary Pillar, Social Inclusion Pillar, or Environmental Pillar
  • Municipal District of Kilkenny City, Castlecomer, Callan, Pilltown, or Thomastown
• Candidates may be nominated for more than one of the above positions but are only permitted to hold one seat
• These positions are voluntary roles and members of the secretariat are entitled to have travel and subs reimbursed where representing Kilkenny PPN.
• Nominating organisations must be registered with Kilkenny PPN (at least 3 months)
• Nominations can only be made with the candidate’s knowledge and approval.
• Groups may nominate one candidate only. If community groups nominate more than one candidate, only the first nomination received will be accepted.
• Kilkenny PPN must receive nominations on or before the deadline date and time.
• Candidates can withdraw their nominations up to the deadline date and time.

In addition to the above, the following generic requirements must be met:

• Elected representatives of Local Authorities cannot be nominated through this process.
• If anyone nominated through this process subsequently decides to enter electoral politics he/she must immediately resign their PPN Secretariat role and the relevant nominating PPN Pillar or Linkage Group will choose a replacement.
• A person who has been an elected representative of any level of Government (local or national) should not be chosen to represent PPN in any representative role for one year after completing their term of office.
• All PPN representatives must meet the criteria laid down by the member organisations that they represent on the PPN.

For more information, contact the Kilkenny PPN staff by email at