Public Consultation in Ireland: Principles, Purpose and Practice
Public consultation is a core element of democratic governance in Ireland. It provides a structured mechanism through which citizens, civil society organisations, businesses and other stakeholders can contribute to the development of public policy, legislation and services. While consultation does not replace representative decision-making, it is intended to inform it, improve outcomes, and strengthen public trust in government.
Ireland’s current consultation framework is set out in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Consultation Principles & Guidance, published in November 2016 https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/publications/public-consultation-guidance/
The guidance was developed as part of Ireland’s commitments under the Open Government Partnership and the Civil Service Renewal Plan, and it replaced earlier 2005 consultation guidelines. Although the guidance does not have legal force, it establishes clear expectations for how public bodies should design and run consultation processes, and it reflects international best practice.
The Purpose of Public Consultation
Consultation is defined as a systematic process of meaningful engagement with those outside the policy-making process who have a clear interest in a particular issue. Its purpose is not simply to gather opinions, but to improve the quality, legitimacy and effectiveness of public decisions. Consultation can help decision-makers to test assumptions, gather evidence, identify unintended consequences, understand real-world impacts and refine implementation approaches.
The guidance emphasises that consultation should be embedded across the policy lifecycle. This includes early policy development, consideration of options, legislative drafting, implementation, evaluation and review. Consultation should not be treated as a one-off exercise or as an administrative formality.
Three Core Principles of Consultation
The guidance sets out three overarching principles that should inform all public consultation activity.
- First, consultation must be genuine, meaningful, timely and balanced. It should involve real engagement and “real listening”, rather than being conducted solely to meet procedural requirements. Consultation should be capable of influencing outcomes, within the constraints of the public body’s remit and any decisions already taken.
- Second, consultation should be targeted and accessible. There is no single model that suits all consultations. The scale, format and methods used should reflect the nature of the proposal, the potential impacts, and the groups affected. Particular consideration should be given to children and young people, marginalised groups, and those who may face barriers to participation through traditional consultation methods.
- Third, public bodies should make systematic efforts to involve interested and affected parties at all appropriate stages of the policy process. This includes development, implementation, evaluation and review. Early engagement is encouraged, as it increases the likelihood that consultation will meaningfully inform policy design.
Planning a Consultation
Effective consultation begins with clear planning. Public bodies are expected to define the objectives of the consultation at the outset. This includes clarifying what information is being sought, how it will be used, and which aspects of the proposal are open to influence. Where certain decisions have already been made, this should be clearly stated to avoid creating unrealistic expectations.
Planning should also involve identifying relevant stakeholders, selecting proportionate consultation methods, setting realistic timelines, and considering resource requirements. Public bodies are encouraged to coordinate internally and across government to avoid consultation fatigue and overlapping regulatory burdens.
Forms of Consultation
The guidance recognises a wide range of consultation and engagement methods. These include written submissions, online consultations, surveys, focus groups, public meetings, workshops, advisory committees, citizen panels and pilot projects. Digital tools are highlighted as offering opportunities for wider reach, quicker feedback and enhanced transparency, although they should not be relied upon where they may exclude certain groups.
The choice of method should be guided by the objective of reaching those who know most about, and are most affected by, the issue under consideration. In some cases, targeted consultation with expert or representative groups may be appropriate alongside a broader public consultation.
*For more bespoke workshop design or guidance on how to integrate New European Bauhaus-aligned placemaking platforms, digital surveys and other social media tools into your inclusive public consultation and community engagemet activities, contact the team at Place Engage: https://placeengage.com/
Timing and Duration
Consultation should begin as early as possible in the policy development process, with advance notice given where feasible. The guidance stresses that consultation is often most effective when it is iterative, rather than confined to a single stage.
There is no fixed consultation period, but most consultations would ordinarily be expected to last between two and twelve weeks. The appropriate duration depends on the complexity of the proposal, the scale of potential impacts, the number and diversity of stakeholders, and the capacity of participants to engage. Longer periods may be required where proposals are complex, where there has been little prior engagement, or where smaller organisations and individuals with limited resources are affected.
Providing Information
Participants should be given sufficient, accessible information to allow them to make informed submissions. Consultation materials should be clear, concise, written in plain language and proportionate to the issues involved. Where research, data or assumptions underpin the proposals, these should be made available, subject to legal constraints such as data protection.
Public bodies are encouraged to publish consultation documents and supporting material online to maximise accessibility and transparency.
Legislative Footprints and Transparency
A key feature of the guidance is the introduction of a “legislative footprint”. This is intended to provide transparency about how legislation has evolved and how consultation has informed it. A legislative footprint typically includes information on consultation stages, submissions received, meetings held with stakeholders, and substantive changes made during the legislative process.
Publishing submissions, subject to redaction of personal data and potentially defamatory material, is strongly encouraged in the interests of transparency. Participants should be informed in advance that submissions may be published and may be subject to Freedom of Information legislation.
Feedback and Review
Providing feedback is identified as an essential part of consultation. Public bodies should publish a consultation report summarising the number of submissions received, key themes raised, how issues were addressed, and the next steps. Where views cannot be reflected in the final outcome, an explanation should be provided.
Consultation processes should also be reviewed once completed. Reviews should assess whether objectives were met, whether methods were appropriate and cost-effective, and what lessons can be learned to improve future consultations.
The Role of a Central Consultation Portal
The guidance envisages a central, searchable portal through which all public consultations can be accessed. This approach is intended to improve visibility, consistency and public awareness of consultation opportunities, and to reduce barriers to participation. Until this portal is operational, the Public Consultation Institute of Ireland will include open consultations at https://www.publicconsultation.ie/haveyoursay
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Best Practice Statutory Public Consultation & Community Engagement
The Public Consultation Institute of Ireland (PCII) is committed to engaging citizens and empowering communities through the use of emerging technologies, which are transforming how the Government and citizens communicate and interact. PCII’s mission is to bring more people into the public participatory process. Not only will this expand informed public engagement, early studies suggest that it is likely to enhance the diversity and quality of participation. View a list of public consultations currently open at https://www.publicconsultation.ie/haveyoursay