Professor Cathal O'Donoghue:

In terms of capacity building for business and financial skills, I came from a meeting this morning at which we focused on these issues within the farming sector. They are exactly the same as in the wider SME and creative sectors. There is a need and whether it be in farming, business or the creative sector, it is becoming more complicated to exist, survive and thrive in the business environment which is more complicated and volatile. To be successful, it is important to be a manager, as well as an expert in whatever the business is. While we recognise the need, there is no demand. Almost the first stage in getting people to engage with the tools and supports is to create awareness and a demand. We are working with 22 partners across agri-business, banking and farm organisations to try to create this awareness. I imagine a similar approach would be useful in other sectors such as the creative sector.

I am not an expert on the skills set of the LEOs. It was a view of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, CEDRA, that, while it supported the LEOs as development organisations, they needed to be proactive rather than passive. The one-stop shop idea is that people come to them, but as a development agency, it needs to get out there and where there is a need but not necessarily a demand, push it to get people to demand what they need, even if they are not aware they need it.