Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the work of the inter-departmental group on social enterprise; and the progress that has been made in furthering the development of this sector. [23804/14]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop a vibrant and effective social enterprise sector. A report on the potential of social enterprises to create jobs and to identify the actions required by Government and other relevant bodies and agencies, was commissioned and produced by Forfás in July 2013.

The Forfás report recommended the establishment of an inter-departmental group to develop and champion the sector. The group was established in October 2013 and is chaired by Minister Sean Sherlock. The function of this group is to provide a coordinated approach from the Government sector to support the development of social enterprise in Ireland, to develop a policy framework for the provision of these supports and to examine the recommendations of the Forfás report in greater detail with a view to their implementation. The Group also formally engages with the Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Task Force (SEETF), as the best representative group of the sector to progress the recommendations of the Forfás report. Since October 2013, The Group has met on five occasions. Immediate actions required were identified and a small joint working-group was also established to prepare a work-plan based on short, medium and long-term goals.

The recommendations being examined by the group cover the areas of Policy Development, Capacity Building, Procurement, Funding and Finance, Developing Leaders, Harnessing Community Support and, Governance.

At the outset it must be acknowledged that the Social Enterprise umbrella covers a disparate sector. The spectrum ranges from enterprises that are fully supported by the State through to a small number of commercially trading companies. Therefore mapping the sector and identifying the supports required is a challenge for policy makers.

Notwithstanding, a number of actions have been identified and are being progressed:

-Inclusion of support for social enterprises in the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which will be effective from January 2015.

-New Local Enterprise Offices have been established and will act as the first-stop-shop and sign-posting service to any enterprise that is commercially viable and meets the eligibility criteria set down by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.

-The group is exploring mechanisms to develop capacity in the sector and examine how best to access EU funds e.g. the new EU Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme has a Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis dedicated to support for access to micro-finance and social entrepreneurship.

-Discussions with the Central Statistics Office have taken place on the inclusion of Social Enterprise in CSO data collection. The Group have also engaged with representatives from Credit Unions to discuss supports for Social Enterprises.

-Initial contact has also taken place with the office of Public Procurement to examine the scope for inclusion of Social Impact Clauses in Public Procurement.