Up to 5,000 new jobs could be created annually in social enterprise over the next five years if the government targetedIreland reaching the European average for jobs in this sector, a seminar in Dublin has been told.
Addressing the Innovation Dublin 2010 Festival on the topic of “Innovating for Good: Social Enterprise,” Maurice Healy, Chairperson of the Social Enterprise Task Force and a former President of IBEC, said that throughout Europe social enterprise accounts for between 4% and 7% of GDP, but in Ireland it represents just 3%.
“This deficit, in an area with huge potential to provide commercial and socially impactful employment and services where they are needed most, must form part of any strategy by the government, or any incoming government.
“It would be a major contributor to tackling the current unemployment crisis and the economic and social malaise in which the country now finds itself,” he said.
In a Report published last June the Task Force proposed that social enterprise policy be co-ordinated by the government department responsible for enterprise; that social enterprise be incorporated into the economic, planning and development strategies of local authorities and that County & City Enterprise Boards should be the key agencies providing support to social enterprise at local level.
“We look forward to initiatives from government on these necessary but easily implemented proposals,” Maurice Healy said.
The event was chaired by Gavin Duffy from RTE’s ‘Dragons’ Den.’ It was also addressed by Naomi Johnson, Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition; Paul O’Sullivan CEO, Clann Credo - the Social Investment Fund; John Murphy, Speedpak and George Lee, Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership.
Recently a new website, SocialEnterprise.ie was launched to assist people and organisations interested in social enterprise to learn, network, collaborate and stay up to date on social enterprise news and events.
Photo: Courtesy Niall Rooney Ⓒ