In July 2019, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD, published Ireland’s first ever National Social Enterprise Policy. The Policy aims to create an enabling environment for social enterprise to grow and contribute to Ireland’s social and economic progress. Meaningful partnership and engagement with social enterprise stakeholders at all levels is critical to the success and sustainability of the Policy.
The Policy commits to establishing a National Social Enterprise Policy Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Rural and Community Development, with representation from other relevant government departments and public bodies, and social enterprise stakeholders. The Implementation Group is primarily advisory in nature but it will be a key vehicle to oversee implementation of the National Social Enterprise Policy.
The department is committed to ensuring the voice and experience of social enterprise practitioners is strongly reflected in the composition of the Implementation Group. The overall composition of the Implementation Group as outlined in the Draft Terms of Reference contained within the Information Sheet(s) below reflects a balance of representation of public bodies and social enterprise stakeholders.
However, two seats have been reserved for an open call for expressions of interest from practitioners or persons involved in supporting social enterprise or social entrepreneurship. One seat has been reserved for a Higher Education Institution active in the area of social enterprise.
Interested individuals are now invited to submit their Expression of Interest Application Form via email to SEImplementation@drcd.gov.ie by close of business on Wednesday 30 October 2019 using the appropriate form provided below.
Note: Membership of the Implementation Group is voluntary and unremunerated. However, reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in the attendance at meetings by members whose expenses are not ordinarily refundable from any other source may have such reasonable expenses refunded by the Department of Rural and Community Development in accordance with public sector guidelines.
Expression of Interest Information Sheet - Social Enterprise Stakeholder ga
Expression of Interest Application Form - Social Enterprise Stakeholder ga
Expression of Interest Information Sheet - Higher Education Institutions ga
Expression of Interest Application Form - Higher Education Institutions ga