George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)

I am glad to speak on the issue of Ireland's national social enterprise policy and to reflect on its deeper promise, its transformative potential and the urgent need to elevate it from policy to practice, from vision to reality. This should not be just a policy. It should be a philosophy which says that business can be more than profit, that trade can be rooted in purpose and that communities can be empowered not by charity but by opportunity.

Social enterprises are the quiet revolutionaries of our economy. They are the community cafés that employ people with addiction issues or those disabilities, the recycling hubs that tackle both waste and unemployment and the youth programmes that give hope to those who have been told they have none. They are the organisations that see a problem and build a solution, not for profit alone but for impact. As the document says, social enterprises play an important role in promoting social inclusion and equality, providing supports and employment opportunities to more marginalised groups and minorities, such as the long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, migrants, the Traveller community and former offenders. They can address societal issues, such as food poverty, housing provision and the environment.

With this policy, Ireland has taken a bold step. However, it will only be a bold step if we make a concerted effort to make it work. We have recognised social enterprise as a distinct and vital sector. We have committed to raising awareness, improving access to supports and building capacity. We have acknowledged that social enterprise is not a fringe idea but is central to the kind of Ireland we want to build. Let us be honest, however. We are only at the beginning. This policy is a foundation, not a finish line. It sets the stage but our performance is yet to come.

If we are serious about unlocking the full potential of social enterprise, we must go further. We must be braver and bolder because the challenges are very real. Social enterprises face barriers that traditional businesses do not. They often operate in areas of deep disadvantage, with limited access to capital, infrastructure or skilled labour. They are driven by mission but constrained by resources. We ask them to do more with less. Yet, they persist, they innovate, they uplift and they transform.

I have spoken before in this Chamber about the wonderful Kafe Konnect in Wexford and how it transforms the lives of people and, at the same time, operates a top-class social enterprise in the heart of Wexford town. It is essential that we continue to invest, not just in projects, but in people. Social entrepreneurs are among the most passionate and resilient leaders in our country, but passion alone cannot pay the rent. We need the dedicated funding streams that support start-up, scale-up and sustainability. We need the multi-annual funding models that allow for long-term planning, not short-term survival.

We must also reform procurement. Too often, social enterprises are locked out of public contracts because they cannot compete on price alone. What about value? What about impact? What about the social return on investment? We must embed social clauses into procurement policy so contracts reward not just efficiency but equity. We must build ecosystems. Social enterprises thrive when they are connected to mentors, to investors and to policymakers. I was delighted recently to bring Kafe Konnect together with the Wexford Chamber with a view to it acting as a mentor for the team. Collaboration like this brings so much more than business mentoring. It breaks down barriers and develops relationships and respect that might never have happened. We need regional hubs, incubators and networks that foster collaboration and innovation. We need to ensure that rural social enterprises are not left behind, that minority-led initiatives are uplifted and that every corner of Ireland feels the benefit of trading for impact.

We must also educate. Social enterprise should not be a mystery. It should be a mainstream option. We must integrate it into our schools, universities and business courses. We must inspire the next generation to see business not just as a career but as a calling. We must also measure what matters. Impact is not always visible on a balance sheet but it is felt in lives changed, communities strengthened and hope restored. We need robust frameworks to capture that impact; to tell the stories, prove the value and make the case for continued support because, as we know, the case is very strong.

Social enterprises also create jobs, often for those furthest from the labour market. They tackle social inclusion, rural isolation and environmental degradation. They build community resilience and foster civic engagement. They can be and often are the engines of equality and they do so with dignity. I personally know young women who have found employment in social enterprises in Wexford after years of addiction. There are dozens of people like them who have been given an opportunity, a second chance that they grabbed with both hands. These are not just stories. They are transformations and they are happening every day thanks to social enterprise. Imagine what more we could do with real investment, support and belief. Imagine a country where every town has a thriving social enterprise hub, where every school teaches the principle of ethical business, where every Department embeds social value into its contracts, and where every citizen knows that trade can be a tool for justice. That is the Ireland we must build together because social enterprise is not just the responsibility of one Department. It is the opportunity of every Department. It touches health, education, environment, justice and enterprise. It is cross-cutting, cross-sectoral and cross-community and I am delighted to say that it is growing.

Across Europe, social enterprise is gaining momentum. Ireland must not just follow but can and must lead. We can and must be the country that proves that business can be inclusive, that trade can be transformative and that impact can be the bottom line. Let us not just settle for policy on paper. Let us deliver policy in practice. Let us fund, support and celebrate social enterprise, not as a niche but as a national priority. Let us be remembered not just as the people and the parliamentarians who talked about impact but as the people and the Parliament that traded for it. When we invest in social enterprise, we invest in people, potential and progress. We invest in the women who start sewing co-operatives in their community, the man who turns his prison experience into a mentoring programme for at-risk youth, the young people who build climate solutions from the ground up. When we are doing this, we are investing in this country, in an Ireland that is fairer, greener, kinder and stronger. Today, we must say to all social entrepreneurs that we see them, believe in them, stand with them and, most of all, invest in them. Let us act, lead and trade for impact.

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