Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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21. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason that almost two years into the implementation of the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024–2027 a number of key milestones have been missed; the actions he is taking to ensure that no further targets are missed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22993/26]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We are almost two years into the implementation of the national social enterprise policy for 2024 to 2027 and a number of key milestones have been missed. What actions are being taken to ensure no further targets are missed? We have had engagement on this before and I have met SERI, a group representing a number of social enterprises in the State. It is about ensuring we have a framework that works.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for the question. In July 2024, prior to my appointment, the Department launched Trading for Impact, the national social enterprise policy, which was developed in partnership with the social enterprise sector. It has five key objectives, which are to build awareness of social enterprises, help them grow their financial sustainability, contribute to the green transition, deepen alignment from local to international level, and improve our understanding of social enterprises and their impact.

A stakeholder engagement group was established in June 2025, including public and private stakeholders, to co-ordinate delivery of the policy. Three working groups have now been established to address social financing issues and gaps, increase participation in public and private procurement, and raise awareness and make their impact more visible. Through these structures, work is continuing to support and grow the sector. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I were pleased to secure €400,000 of additional funding through the Estimates process to support this work.

Areas of focus include a new Dormant Accounts Fund scheme to grow financial sustainability, which I expect to launch very shortly, and engagement with stakeholders, including the Office of Government Procurement, to increase procurement and sustainability for social enterprises through traded income. They also include phase 2 of a pilot voluntary quality mark for social enterprises to help build their visibility, and the census of social enterprises, which will be launched in the coming weeks, to better understand and support the sector and help to set the direction of future policy.

While there was some delay in commencing implementation of the policy in late 2024, and I remind Deputy Ó Murchú that there was an election and a Government needed to be formed, significant work has been undertaken since my appointment and that of the Minister. We are committed to seeing this policy delivered. I assure Deputy Ó Murchú that the officials in our Department and other Departments, in partnership with the stakeholders, are working to ensure that all of the actions will be implemented over the lifetime of the policy. Deputy Ó Murchú mentioned SERI and I congratulate the former Minister, Richard Bruton, on his appointment as chair of SERI. We look forward to working with him to further develop the issue Deputy Ó Murchú has outlined. I have met many social enterprise groups since I became a Minister of State and I can tell Deputy Ó Murchú that I am very excited about this sector. I look forward to working with him to see it succeed further.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I accept there was a busy period in 2024 but work has to continue through the public service, the Civil Service and the Department. I will take on board the Minister of State's commitment to delivering on these targets because it is absolutely necessary. I assume from what he has said that he will have, and I hope there will be, engagement with SERI. I was approached on the fact that it had a number of questions. It is looking for an ecosystem where social enterprise can flourish, from local start-ups to those that have a capacity for international expansion. At the minute, they cannot access enterprise supports through LEOs, Enterprise Ireland or Skillnet. An amount of €340,000 per year is allocated to deliver 57 actions, which were set previously under the national social enterprise policy. Will funding be committed to the programme for Government seed fund?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I look forward to working with Deputy Ó Murchú in this particular area. Since my appointment, when I assumed responsibility in this area, we have engaged extensively. I have visited and met many stakeholders and social enterprises. To say the least, I am absolutely excited by the work being done. The objectives will be met. The stakeholder engagement group has met and it has a programme of work. It is committed to engaging on this and engaging with us further. I assure Deputy Ó Murchú the officials in the Department are engaging with colleagues on this matter on an ongoing basis. Deputy Ó Murchú should feel free to raise any issues with me. It is important to recognise that the Trading for Impact policy was developed in partnership with the sector. It is about partnership, le chéile and working together. Implementation of this policy must be done in partnership for it to succeed. I look forward to the stakeholder engagement group continuing its work. It has met four times since it was appointed and it has established three expert working groups to provide recommendations and advice and to help it implement the individual actions under its remit. I look forward to working with Deputy Ó Murchú because this is a brilliant, breathtaking and refreshing area to be in.