Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have been trying to address the issue of public banking in this Chamber, but we are not getting very far. I want to ask the officials from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation about worker co-operatives, an issue I have raised previously. A significant proportion of GDP in many countries across Europe benefits from worker co-operatives. It accounts for 13% of GDP in Sweden, 16% of GDP in Switzerland and a whopping 21% of GDP in Finland. Scotland has seen significant progress in its co-operative sector since the Scottish co-operative development unit was established. Our co-operative development unit was closed down in 2002. Instead, we have zoned in and focused on foreign direct investment, but that is no good to the small businesses of the indigenous population. We need such businesses to grow. I keep pressing home the fact that there has been a significant shift in the public mindset. People want to reduce their carbon footprint and buy Irish products from indigenous small businesses. That is something we need to advertise constantly, especially because the younger generation is more socially aware and more environmentally aware. It has to be tacked onto everything the Department does from a promotional perspective. Will the officials from the Department comment on what Ireland can learn from Scotland's positive growth in the SME co-operative sector? Do they believe we should re-establish our own co-operative development unit to support SMEs, especially in rural areas?