47. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in implementing the Government's Trading for Impact: National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, and the additional measures he plans to introduce to support the growth of social enterprises in rural communities. [53277/26]

In July 2024 my Department launched Trading for Impact: the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, which was developed in partnership with the social enterprise sector. It has five key objectives: to build awareness of social enterprises; to help them grow their financial sustainability; to contribute to the green transition; to deepen alignment from local to international level, and to improve our understanding of social enterprises and their impact.

A Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) was established in June 2025, including public and private stakeholders, to coordinate delivery of the policy.  Three Working Groups have now been established:

• to address social financing issues and gaps.

• to increase participation in public and private procurement, and

• to raise awareness of social enterprises and make their impact more visible.

Through these structures, work is continuing to support and grow the sector, and I was pleased to secure €400k of additional funding in the 2026 Budget to support this work. This funding will assist the Department, inform the Stakeholder Engagement Group and the Working Groups where appropriate, to make sure that social enterprises are supported appropriately in line with the policy objectives.

The 8th National Social Enterprise Conference was held in Ballinasloe, Galway on 20 November organised on behalf of the department by a consortium of social enterprise representative bodies: Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), Irish Social Enterprise Network (ISEN), the Local Development Company Network (LDCN), and the Wheel.

This consortium also delivered the first DRCDG National Social Enterprise Awards that took place in October 2025, putting a spotlight on the immense impact social enterprises have on our communities. The consortium also delivered a series of Regional Stakeholder Events, and a Pilot Transition Year Project to raise awareness of social enterprise among 2nd level students.

A Social Enterprise Verification Project was launched in 2025 and delivered on behalf of DRCDG by Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland to investigate the challenges and merits of a voluntary accreditation for social enterprises in Ireland. A second phase of the pilot was commissioned in early 2026.

Since 22 January 2025 two Dormant Accounts Funds (DAF) Schemes launched:

• In May 2025 the awardees under the €4m ‘DAF Growing Social Enterprise Scheme’ were announced. 125 social enterprises received capital funding of up to €97k for projects such as building works, renovations, refurbishments, or for the purchase of equipment, machinery or vehicles,

• In April 2026 a €4m ‘DAF Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme’ was opened for applications. The scheme is designed to support established social enterprises to grow their traded income and become more financially self-sufficient.  I will announce the awardees later this year.

Foróige continue to roll out the Social Enterprise Module of the NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) to approx. 6,000 young people. YSI have been engaged to raise awareness of social enterprise among its cohort of young people.  A Transition Year Pilot was funded in 2025 as part of the Policy Support Contract.

Another measure being carried out to support the growth of social enterprises in rural communities is the organising Social Enterprise Forum regional events. The events will take place during September and October of this year. They are designed to help social enterprises learn from experts, discover funding options and network with peers.

Last year I launched the New Solutions Social Innovation Hub that supports social innovators across Ireland to develop, test, and grow new solutions to social challenges. Through the Social Innovation Hub, social enterprises can gain access to combine funding, practical supports, and hands-on guidance so that innovators can focus on creating real impact.

Areas of focus with the Department at the moment are:

• A new Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Scheme to grow financial sustainability, which was launched in April this year,

• Engagement with stakeholders including the Office of Government Procurement to increase procurement and sustainability for social enterprises through traded income,

• Phase 2 of a pilot, voluntary ‘quality mark’ for social enterprises to help build their visibility, and

• Completion of the Census of Social Enterprises which will assist us to better understand and support the sector, and help set the direction of future policy.  The report will be launched later this year at the National Social Enterprise Conference.

I am committed to seeing this policy delivered, and can assure the Deputy that my officials, in partnership with the stakeholders, will work to ensure that the actions are implemented over the lifetime of the policy.