As a solution to declining political and civic participation, many governments are seeking to increase the number of citizens who participate in policy‑making and governance. Contrary to early expectations, recent research suggests that new information and communications technologies (ICTs) may not increase participation rates in formal organisations, and so may not improve participation rates. The Mobhaile project in Ireland is an example of a local government initiative which combines service provision ('e‑government') functions and facilities for voluntary, community and business organisations that enhance social capital in local communities, while also enabling civic participation functions ('e‑ governance'), in a single web‑based geographical interface. Such projects enable citizens to access government services and encourages them, as part of this process, to also participate in local activities that build social capital in the community. The resulting mix can be an effective basis for greater political and civic participation.

The paper explores whether Living Labs, acting as open innovation intermediaries, can address some of the challenges surrounding the sustainable adoption of eParticipation tools and methods. We begin by analysing the existing literature on Living Labs and Open Innovation, and the extent to which Living Labs can act as innovation intermediaries as envisioned by Chesbrough (2006), Wolpert (2002) and others. We then consider the research on eParticipation, and in particular some of the risks and challenges surrounding the sustainability of innovation in this area. In the second part of the paper, focusing on the PARTERRE project, we present the methodology and key findings of six eParticipation pilots. Further comments and analysis based on these findings is provided, examining issues such as inter‑cultural barriers, technological factors, organisational concerns and participant feedback. Finally, we present some conclusions in the light of the findings.