Mr. Seán Coughlan:

Our engagement has been with the Departments of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, in particular the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, as Minister with responsibility for co-ordination across Departments. We want social enterprise to form part of the remit of the local enterprise offices, LEOs. Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is part of the social enterprise and entrepreneurship task force, which has put together a position paper in this regard. We are also in direct talks with an official at the Department of the Environment, community and Local Government on the issue. We have not as yet heard whether social enterprise will be part of the remit of the LEOs. It is an going conversation with departmental officials and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock. Any encouragement from the committee in this regard would be much appreciated.