Government pledges increased support for social enterprises amid rising demand
Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary said work is needed over the next four years to increase investment in the sector, but he is confident it can be done.
Mr Calleary made the comments as he announced an investment of almost €4m in 125 social enterprises across the country as part of the Growing Social Enterprise Scheme announced last year.
"In recognition of the huge demand for this scheme, we have allocated an additional €2m this year but there are still disappointed people and we are very much aware of that," Mr Calleary said.
"We will continue to work to increase investment in this sector over the course of the next four years."
Any ramping up of investment will be subject to discussion with the department of public expenditure but the minister, Jack Chambers, understands the value of the work of social enterprises.
"I am pretty sure I'm pushing an open door there with Minister Chambers," said Mr Calleary.
The funding announcement was made at FoodCloud in Tallaght which is to receive €97,000 to purchase refrigerated vehicles to safely deliver food to community and voluntary organisations.
Mr Calleary said FoodCloud is an example of social enterprise at its best, creating a solution to tackle the major issues of food waste and food poverty while expanding its reach globally.
Social enterprises bridge the gap between public and private services and can have a "transformational impact", said CEO and founder of Sensational Kids, Karen Leigh.
Speaking at the event, Ms Leigh spoke of two parents she encountered at an event last year, both of whom had children who had additional needs and were non-verbal.
The first child was able to access services at Sensational Kids at a young age and is now fully verbal and set to start in a mainstream secondary school "completely independent".
The second, an 'almost identical' child, was unable to access services, remains non-verbal, and his mother is fighting for a secondary school place for him.
"He had gotten four speech and language therapy sessions over the course of his life from the HSE and she had recently been sent on a webinar," Ms Leigh said.
"And that is the difference."
This, Ms Leigh said, demonstrates the power of social enterprise and the transformational difference that can be made when organisations are properly funded and given the freedom to deliver services.
One of the challenges facing social enterprises is financial stability as they grow and there is a continuous need for ongoing funding, Ms Leigh said.
The funding announced on Tuesday, which is supported by the Dormant Accounts Fund, will see 83 enterprises receive funding up to €15,000 and a further 42 will get funding of between €15,000 and €100,000.
Almost €178,000 will go to social enterprises in Cork including €78,000 for creative hub Benchspace and €14,000 for Mitchelstown Community Centre.
The Dormant Accounts Fund is based on monies in bank accounts that have not been active in over 15 years.
Read More
Deis plan to emphasise retention of students up to Leaving Cert and beyond
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
4 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Multi-Million euro investment to improve water quality in Mayo
The programme aims to improve water infrastructure across rural Group Water Schemes (GWS). 20 GWS across Mayo will benefit from the funding, which is the largest Government investment to date for water services in the county. The funding will support a range of projects in Mayo, including source protection measures, water treatment upgrades, leakage reduction and prevention, new community water connections, as well as the formal taking-in-charge of four Group Water Schemes and Group Sewerage Schemes in Mayo. €2.89m was granted to Callow Lake GWS for water conservation and leakage reduction. Cllr Neil Cruise from Foxford spoke to the Irish Independent and welcomed the funding. He mentioned there is a lot of pipe work that needs to be replaced due to ongoing leakage issues, 'This news is wonderful for the greater east Mayo area, this is funding that is hugely required. It is very welcomed news to help solve the ongoing issues, make things better for the environment, and protect the water.' Cllr Cruise made a motion at the last Mayo County Council meeting to develop a LIFE project in the Pontoon area, to help preserve water quality in Lough Conn and Lough Cullin, similar to the ongoing LIFE project in Lough Carra. Lough Carra GWS also received €1.2m to improve water efficiency and reduce losses. Cllr Donna Sheridan from Castlebar said that today's announcement is great news for communities in the Castlebar Municipal District. 'It is so important that we protect our water sources and ensure the highest standards in our water treatment. We must ensure that communities across Castlebar Municipal District have the benefit of high water infrastructure and water services, 'This funding, and the completion of these projects, will allow GWS to continue to improve the quality, quantity, and reliability of the water services across Mayo.' Over €7.5m has been allocated to support the taking-in-charge of dozens of group water and sewage schemes across the county, to help ensure long-term sustainability and public oversight. Minister of State, Alan Dillion TD, welcomed the significant investment saying: 'This vital funding will support the development and maintenance of essential water and sanitation services, ensuring that rural households have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water, ADVERTISEMENT 'The Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme is not only about improving quality of life, it also supports economic activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, and tourism, all of which depend on reliable water resources, 'This is one of the most significant investments in rural water infrastructure ever seen in Mayo. It will directly benefit thousands of households, improve water quality, reduce leakage, and ensure that rural communities have access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water services.' This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
RTÉ News
4 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Government's NDP is 'fantasy economics', says O'Callaghan
The Government's National Development Plan is based on a "very optimistic scenario" and "falls into the realm of fantasy economics", Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan has said. Coalition leaders finalised the revised NDP yesterday, which is the Government's scheme to build infrastructure such as roads, rail, electricity connections and sewage schemes over the coming years. The Government said that total spending over the coming five years as part of the plan will be almost €100 billion. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Deputy O'Callaghan said the plan was published "as if there was going to be no major fallout from the tariffs and the potential trade war with the US". Mr O'Callaghan, who is his party's spokesperson on public expenditure and reform, said "it is likely that it will not be possible" for the Government to deliver on all the promises made during the election due to tariffs. He stressed that the Government has published statements and forecasts "based on a 0% tariff rate". Funding for housing in the NDP will be the largest part of the €100bn plan, while the Coalition has promised to cut the rate of VAT for the food service industry. Mr O'Callaghan said that the Government should focus on accommodation and food, adding that his party does agree with targeted support for the hospitality industry. He said investment in infrastructure in Ireland is behind comparable countries, with a 25% lower rate of investment in infrastructure in recent years in Ireland. "So that means, in September when children go back to school, you've got kids in schools with leaking roofs where the rain water comes in and it is captured in buckets," he said. He added that the country is "way behind" in terms of public transport, adding that there are "huge pressures" around housing and healthcare, where he said investment is "absolutely key". Mr O'Callaghan also said there are significant gaps in funding in healthcare, adding that elective hospitals are underfunded in the plan. He also said that Ireland has a "much less productive" construction sector than other countries and described the NDP as "the vaguest document" the Government has ever published.
RTÉ News
12 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Government to review work permit occupations lists
The Government has announced the opening of a consultation period to allow stakeholders make submissions on the work permit occupations lists. The Critical Skills Occupations List consists of jobs that are in short supply in Ireland and across the European Economic Area (EEA) including roles in areas such as medicine, ICT, sciences, finance and business. The Ineligible Occupations List consists of occupations for which there is an adequate supply of labour and skills, and for which an employment permit will not be issued. The last review of the occupations lists took place in 2023, and resulted in 11 additional roles being placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List, and 32 roles being made eligible for a General Employment Permit. As part of the review process, submissions are sought from employers, representative bodies, Government departments, agencies, and other interested parties relating to occupations currently included on or absent from the lists. "At a time of full employment, with over 2.81 million people at work, and with 90,000 new jobs created in the last year, it is vital that we continue to have a strong and flexible employment permits system to allow non-EEA nationals to fill the skill and labour gaps we cannot access in Ireland or Europe and to ensure our economy remains competitive," Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said. "As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves," he added. Alan Dillon, Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment, said that non-EEA nationals that fill skills and labour gaps in the domestic economy are a vital part of the Irish economy. "Where employers or stakeholders are facing challenges in recruiting a specific occupation and believe it should be eligible for an employment permit, or believe a certain occupation should move onto the critical skills list, now is their opportunity to share this feedback," Mr Dillon said. Submissions will be accepted through an online consultation form on the Department of Enterprise website and will be open until 19 September.
