John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Most of what I was going to say has already been touched on. Before the witnesses came in, during our private session we were discussing the concept of social enterprise. We need to up our own game in our attitude towards social enterprise. It is a hidden gem that is just not understood in Ireland.

I get excited every time I hear about it because I see the real value of it. I can see the end product and it makes perfect sense. At the same time - Senator Cullinane referred to this - I genuinely believe that although there are people who understand and know what social enterprise is, there are others who will go to a local enterprise office when they are establishing an enterprise. They want to set up a business and would probably be more than happy to take the social enterprise route but simply know nothing about it. We need to do something to ensure people have the option. People need to see that there is a payback not only for the person who sets up a business but for the people in the community or wider society. Why would anyone not want that? It is a no-brainer and work needs to be done in this area. To a certain extent we come from a culture where, by and large, the model is based on looking after the people who set up the company and own the company. It is a different alignment to what we are discussing today. We need to see a change in mindset in this area particularly around how we do business as a country at a political level. I realise the Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, is trying to deal with that.

I have a question for Mr. Coughlan and a question for Mr. Ó Corrbuí on shared services. There is an obligation not only on the State but on other people to inform everyone about the idea of establishing a social enterprise as opposed to establishing a traditional business. Something needs to be done in this area. As the witnesses have said, there is a part for them to play as well. There is a frustrating aspect to this. Although I am interested in the idea, as a Deputy there are only so many things one can hold at a time. A Deputy cannot give his time to everything. I have been focusing on youth employment in the past two and half years and although I have been very interested in this, the time constraint has not allowed it to be pursued.

I am unsure how to help people who come to me. I spoke to a person from DCU who came to me last week. He wanted to meet to discuss an idea about a social enterprise. What obstacles do the witnesses see if someone comes to the likes of us? What pitfalls will they face as opposed to someone else when it comes to establishing a social enterprise in the current environment? Where is the safest place to direct them to get the necessary support? I realise they could be pointed to the witnesses but I am referring to beyond that.

The shared services model makes perfect sense but I imagine it is the same in all the communities we represent. There were issues some time ago around reductions in the amount of funding that community employment schemes were receiving for overheads. It would have made perfect sense for everyone to use shared services. However, in the community I represent that would have become a local community political nightmare. Although we see it here, how did the witnesses manage to get over the pitfalls of getting the groups the witnesses have spoken of, which are identical to the other groups in all communities, to agree that it is worthwhile to buy in to shared services and that an enterprise can have a more direct input into what it seeks to deliver by taking that approach, rather than each enterprise fighting over a building or who does salaries at the end of the month?