Contents
Contributor and editor biographies
Introduction
Social enterprise and the origin of the term
Social enterprise and social economy
Ideology
The status of social enterprise in Ireland
Opportunities
Current and emerging policy
1 Social enterprise in context in Ireland / Michael Punch
Introduction
Mapping alternative economic spaces
The social economy and Irish development
Reflections: Contested economic spaces
Conclusions
2 Social enterprise or social entrepreneurship: economic solidarity or market hegemony? / Deiric Ó Broin
Introduction
The historical context
Building a model of economic solidarity
Market-oriented social innovation
Questioning the role of social enterprise and social entrepreneurs
Conclusions
3 Social enterprise and the green economy / Gerard Doyle
Introduction
The rationale for renewable energy
Community renewable energy in Denmark
Community renewable energy in Scotland
Community renewable energy in Ireland
Conclusions
4 Support for social enterprises / Tom Daly, Gerard Doyle and Tanya Lalor
Introduction
The barriers to social enterprise development
The types of supports required
The delivery of supports
The role of a local support structure
The role of a national support structure
The implications for the State
Conclusions
5 Social enterprise in action – A Traveller organisation’s experience / Anne Costello, Margaret O’Riada and Martin Ward
Introduction
The Galway Traveller Movement
The context and rationale for social enterprise development
Social enterprise – one response to traveller unemployment
A strategic approach to social enterprise development
The Traveller Enterprise Development Unit
Current activities
Conclusions
6 Housing – an engine for social enterprise / Chris White
Introduction
Britain
Lessons for Ireland – emerging practice and issues
An alternative to the traditional approach to regeneration
Voluntary housing associations and social enterprise – opportunities and threats
Conclusions
7 Procurement and social enterprise / Tanya Lalor
Introduction
Social procurement – definitions and practice
The arguments for social contracting
The legal basis for public procurement – EU law
Case law and its implications for social procurement
Some policy drivers that can promote social procurement
The procurement context in Ireland
Conclusions
8 Finance and social enterprise / Kieron Brennan
Introduction
The barriers to accessing finance
Innovative financial tools used by the sector
Policy and practical measures required to address these barriers
Conclusions
9 The private sector and social enterprise – a case study of Waterford / Senan Cooke and Helen Kavanagh
Introduction
The potential has yet to be tapped
A step change is required
Waterford Local Economic Development Company and Waterford Crystal Ltd
DFBA Community Enterprises and Waterford Crystal Ltd
Conclusions – gaining the best from both worlds
10 Social enterprise in Sweden and Scotland: local and national responses / Tor Justad
Introduction
Sweden
Scotland
Conclusions
11 The European Union as a champion for social enterprise / Erdmuthe Klaer-Morselli
Introduction
Social economy/social enterprise and the EU – setting the framework
The European Parliament resolution on the social economy
Social Business Initiative
European social entrepreneurship funds
Regional policy
Conclusions
12 Co-operatives – what relevance now? / Bridget Carroll, Olive McCarthy and Mary O’Shaughnessy
Introduction
The current status of co-operatives in Ireland
Agricultural co-ops
Credit unions
Workers’ co-operatives
Housing co-operatives
Assessing the achievement of co-operatives in Ireland
The challenges facing co-operatives in Ireland today
Co-operatives and social enterprise
The policy context for co-operatives
Conclusions
Conclusions – the way forward for social enterprise
Bibliography
Index
