Arising from the Partnership 2000 report on the social economy, the Government decided in July 1999 to approve the introduction of a social economy programme.
The programme is overseen by a national monitoring committee chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and representatives of relevant Departments and the social partners. The monitoring committee has recently adopted the operating framework for the new programme.
The programme will be operated by FÁS. The next steps are the establishment of local working groups to oversee the programme at local level and the promotion of the programme. Applications for funding will be made through FÁS offices locally.
The objectives of the social economy programme are to promote the emergence and consolidation of the social economy; to maximise the potential of the social economy to generate employment that is sustainable and of high quality, subject to labour market constraints; to regenerate both urban and rural communities by providing urgently needed local services, employment opportunities and experience for people who have been distanced from the labour market; and to promote equal opportunities between men and women.