The Social Economy in Ireland

1
The Social Economy in Ireland

• Michael Quilligan
• Manager - Social Economy Unit
• Partas
• Dublin

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Outline of Presentation

• Partas the Social Economy Unit
• Best practice examples
• Social and economic context in Ireland
• The nature of the social economy
• Government policy
• Practical issues

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Partas

• Based in Tallaght, South West Dublin
• Community organisation founded in 1984 in
  response to job losses
• Facilitating job creation and social inclusion by
  supporting enterprise development and the social
  economy

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The Social Economy Unit

• Established in 1997
• Providing support to Tallaght organisations in
  the social economy
• supporting organisations
• building capacities
• developing communities
• Sharing our knowledge with local development
  organisations in other areas and seeking to
  influence policy

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Best practice examples

• Partas
• Tallaght Childcare Centre
• H.E.A.T.
• Westside Markets

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Partas

• Formed in 1984 as Get Tallaght Working
• 4 enterprise centres, over 50 staff
• A mix of grants and traded income, 1.8m
  (stg1.1m) in 2002
• Activities
• Enterprise return-to-work programmes for women
• Mentoring training for entrepreneurs
• Marketing, market research PR consultancy
• Social economy development

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Tallaght Childcare Centre

• Community childcare facility
• 19 staff, full daycare to 43 preschool children
• Grant subsidies for staff and capital expansion
• Policies and procedures
• Fees 80 (stg50) per week approx ½ of
  commercial rates
• Admissions policy

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H.E.A.T.

• Heat and Energy Action Tallaght
• Lobby group on fuel poverty
• Insulation and energy efficiency business
• 15 employees
• Local council housing and building contractors
• Looking at other environmental activities

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Westside Markets

• Based in Fettercairn, a council housing estate
• Poor local infrastructure
• Coffee dock and outdoor market
• Located in community centre
• childcare
• drug rehabilitation project
• training and meeting facilities

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Social and economic context in Ireland

• Social partnership
• The Celtic Tiger
• Low unemployment
• Free market principles
• Widening gaps between rich and poor
• Hidden disadvantage
• Disadvantage in communities of interest

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The nature of the social economy

• A new name, not a new idea
• Co-operation more common than co-operativism
• A response to unemployment and disadvantage
• The nature of public sector service provision

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Government policy 1

• Community and voluntary sector
• Arts and community radio
• IT training and access
• Childcare
• Sports and youth facilities
• Community centres

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Government policy 2

• The Social Economy Programme
• administered by FAS, the national training and
  employment agency
• local working groups
• categories of enterprises deficient demand,
  community businesses public sector contractors
• eligibility criteria for employees
• 3 years funding

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Practical issues

• Leadership
• Viability sustainability
• Labour market interventions/ community
  development policies?
• Core funding
• Public sector service provision
• Representative/ participative democracy

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Contact details

• Michael Quilligan
• Manager Social Economy Unit
• Partas
• Bolbrook Enterprise Centre
• Avonmore Road
• Tallaght
• Dublin 24
• Ireland
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email mquilligan_at_partas.ie
• Web www.partas.ie