Up to 5,000 new jobs could be created annually in social enterprise over the next five years if the Government targeted Ireland reaching the European average for jobs in the sector.
At the Innovation Dublin 2010 Festival seminar in Dublin today, the Chairperson of the Social Enterprise Task Force Maurice Healy said that throughout Europe social enterprise accounts for between 4% and 7% of GDP, but in Ireland it represents just 3%.
Mr Healy said this deficit, in an area with huge potential to provide commercial employment and services where they are needed most, "must form part of any strategy by the Government, or any incoming government".
Mr Healy said such a strategy "would be a major contributor" to tackling the current unemployment crisis in which the country now finds itself.