How the Irish Government's “Build to Share” Vision Comes to Life: A New Public Consultations Module for All

The Irish Government’s Build to Share (BTS) initiative has been a driving force behind a more efficient, collaborative, and forward-thinking approach to digital public services. It encourages public bodies to reuse shared digital assets rather than reinventing the wheel—maximising value, reducing costs, and improving outcomes.

A recent project led by Mark Conroy of The Confident offers a standout example of the initiative’s ideals in action.

A Smart Solution Built Locally, Designed to Scale Nationally and Internationally

Tipperary County Council worked with The Confident to create a new Public Consultations Module - a streamlined, accessible, open-source tool that enables councils and public-sector organisations to publish consultations, gather feedback, and manage submissions effectively.

Originally built to meet Tipperary’s needs, the module was architected with wider reuse in mind. Now that it’s been released on Drupal.org, it can be adopted by any local authority or public-sector organisation at no cost. In fact, it can be used by any Drupal website, not just government ones.

We needed a flexible, user-friendly way to run public consultations, but we also knew that other councils faced the very same challenges. From the outset, we wanted a solution that would benefit the wider local government community.

• Ruth Maher, Tipperary County Council

A True Build to Share Success Story

The release of this module aligns perfectly with the Government’s Build to Share strategy:

• Shared Digital Assets: One high-quality solution available to all
• Lower Costs: No licensing fees and reduced duplication of effort
• Open-Source Transparency: Community review and long-term sustainability
• Consistent UX: Citizens benefit from a unified, accessible consultation experience
• Local Innovation: A county-level project with national relevance

What began as a project for Tipperary County Council has now become a reusable digital resource for every local authority in Ireland—and indeed, any Drupal-based public body worldwide.

We’re proud to see solutions built for Irish local government contributing to the global Drupal ecosystem. It highlights the strength of open standards and shared digital investments.

•  Will Callaghan, LocalGov Drupal Product Lead

Looking Ahead

As more councils adopt the module, the Drupal community and local government partners can continue enhancing it, adding functionality, and ensuring it remains aligned with accessibility and security standards.

This initiative stands as a model for how public-sector digital services can be built collaboratively, shared openly, and leveraged nationally.

Tipperary were fantastic partners. They understood the value of building something that could be reused across the country. Publishing the module on Drupal.org ensures it stays open, evolves with community input, and supports councils for years to come.

• Mark Conroy, The Confident

Demo