Mr. Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí:

The Carmichael Centre grew out of a need. It was founded in 1998. A number of what were for the most part community groups ended up having no home. They lost the space they had and the model proposed that rather than all 18 groups trying to find their own space, why not come together and share simple things like photocopiers, meeting rooms and catering facilities. Now, we have 46 groups. The problem is there are other potential communities throughout the country that could benefit from that. We believe small is beautiful and we deal with the small end because of particular issues. People at the small end have great passion and dedication. They may not be the best bookkeepers in the world or may not have the ability to do all the things they need to do.

It was a simple model. One possible failing is that it should be replicated, but what we have discovered is that it always needs some sort of spark. The Carmichael Centre would not have happened in 1990 unless there was someone in Dublin City Council at the time who had the leadership to see the merit in the idea and that it was something we should do more. Then, the person convinced a colleague of his in the Eastern Health Board to give us a premises. Dublin City Council gave us a second premises and that gave us the catalyst. These catalysts are needed to spark something.

The idea makes sense. A person can come into the Carmichael Centre and take the view that it is brilliant and that there should be more of them. We have been trying. My predecessors have tried to do it but unless there is some big brother or big sister to provide support, it will not happen. However, once we see it happening we realise there should be far more of it. We believe in it.

There is vast potential at the upper end of the scale for shared services but it needs an initial push. Whether that push comes from someone with a stick or with a nice carrot, either will do, but we need an incentive to make it happen.