George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's comments. I think he hit the nail on the head: often people who have very good ideas do not have the necessary business acumen or are afraid to put themselves forward and present a business plan. Wexford Local Development has three fabulous in-house social enterprises in Kafé Konnect, EPIC and the Little Jobs Service. Kafé Konnect is a terrific example of how people who have been left on the margins can be immersed into the area of helping themselves, working among themselves. Under the stewardship of Julie Codd in Wexford Local Development, Kafé Konnect has been a hugely successful commercial enterprise. There are many and varied benefits of this. Kafé Konnect deals with people who are recovering from addiction issues and is now running a wonderfully successful business venture. I invite the Minister to come to Wexford at some stage and view it at first hand. I will even stand him a coffee on that basis.

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