Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The co-operative model is one of a number of legal options available to those considering establishing themselves in business and the different models have their own distinct characteristics. It is, of course, up to each individual operation to choose the model that best suits the nature of the business and the desired ethos of the entity.

The Department issued a consultation paper on the legislation that governs the majority of co-operatives in Ireland, the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, inviting interested parties to submit proposals for the changes to the legislation that they considered necessary to address issues causing difficulty for the effective operation of the co-operative model. On foot of this consultation process, I intend to bring proposals to the Government shortly providing for a number of amendments to the current legislation which will address the immediate difficulties raised by the sector. I expect that these amendments will make the co-operative model more attractive for those wishing to use it.

The direct promotion of co-operatives is a matter for the co-operative movement. It is ably done by the three main umbrella groups for co-operatives, namely, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society which developed predominantly in the dairy industry but has branched out to the wider food, agribusiness and rural sectors in Ireland, the National Association of Building Co-operatives which deals with housing co-operatives and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes which deals with group water schemes. In addition, I propose to engage with the co-operative sector on its plans to promote the particular benefits of the co-operative model to a wider audience, as it will come to the fore in 2012 which has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Co-operatives.

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