Funder: HEA (€250,000)
Researchers: Prof. David R. Newman (QUB); Prof. G. Honor Fagan (NUI Maynooth); Dr Michael Murray (NUI Maynooth); Mr Paul McCusker (LYIT); and Dr Simon Stephens (LYIT).
This project explored the reality of consultation as a form of citizen participation in policy development in Ireland, North and South. It investigated processes of consultation, the only form of participation that is a legal requirement of policy making, with a view to assessing their value as supporting tools of citizen centric governance. In addition a key objective of the research was to support the development of citizen driven government by identifying how Information Communication Technologies could support, develop or deepen the participation of citizens in policy development through that same consultation requirement. In particular, it was hoped to identify e-consultation processes and technologies that are most appropriate to the needs of diverse local communities and to find the best ways to apply these to support citizen driven democracy.