A task force on active citizenship to be established by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the coming days will be asked to examine ways of encouraging more people to get involved in the community.
Officials at the Department of the Taoiseach have finalised terms of reference for the taskforce, which has been prompted by concern over falling levels of civic engagement and volunteerism across the country.
The group will be given nine months to review evidence regarding trends in the participation of citizens across the main areas of civic, community and cultural life.
Individuals and organisations throughout the State will also be asked to contribute their experiences and suggestions to inform the work of the taskforce.
The group's conclusions will help to shape public policy in a way which facilitates and encourages greater engagement by people in all aspects of life, as well as promoting a strong civic culture.
Individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including the academic, community and voluntary sector, are expected to form part of the taskforce.
A secretariat within the department, headed by secretary general Dermot McCarthy, has been involved in drawing up the terms of reference for the taskforce.
A range of factors have been blamed on declining levels of participation in the community, such as commuting, dual-income families and the growth in materialism.
There have been calls for a civic forum for several years from groups such as The Wheel - a national network connecting community and voluntary organisations, and the Cori Justice Commission.
The Wheel's chief executive, Deirdre Garvey, said: "Research shows people will volunteer if they are asked. Someone has to do the asking. Community and voluntary groups need to be more organised and think strategically, and get all the support and resources they need."
Fr Seán Healy, of Cori, welcomed the establishment of a taskforce. "We're a more affluent society, but there's still a huge need for involvement in the community. We've always had high levels of engagement and the key is how to hold on to that," he said.
The Taoiseach's interest in the area has been shaped partly by Harvard professor Robert Putnam, who has charted the collapse of civic and community values in the US.
