Chapter 5: Economic Development, Enterprise and Retail Development

Chapter 5: Economic Development, Enterprise and Retail Development

This chapter opens with the ambition “to develop and build on the economic strengths and assets of the county as a thriving, competitive and attractive place for a range of sectors to locate, based on the principles of a well-established economic base that is highly appealing to both investors and employees”.

1. But the offer to make the county an attractive place for a range of sectors to locate fails to recognise the increasingly important role social enterprises and co-operatives play in Irish society.
2. The suggestion that we should appeal to both investors and employees is valid but also fails to highlight the important role that businesses can play supporting their local communities - and not just as employers and ratepayers but as active participants in the sustainable development of the region.

Proposed amendment or inclusion:

1. The first National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland was published in 2019 and with the recognition of social enterprises as businesses whose “core objective is to achieve a social, societal or environmental impact. Like other businesses, social enterprises trade in goods or services on an ongoing basis. However, any surpluses they generate are re-invested into achieving a social impact.” The growth of organisations such as Rethink Ireland highlights the emergence of this sector. Since 2016 they have established a €72 million fund, supporting 246 social innovations, reaching over 400,000 people, creating over 500 jobs in the social innovation sector and supporting almost 1,000 people into employment. It is important to note that this ‘growth’ delivered by social innovations is more sustainable, just and economically viable in the long-term.

Rationale:

The Draft plan currently has no references to social enterprises or cooperatives as potential drivers of sustainable development despite these organisations being best placed to do so. A strong social enterprise sector in the county can support Galway Councils aim to achieve the SDG’s by 2030 as they work across multiple sectors including education, health, food and environmental action. 

Chapter 5: Economic Development, Enterprise and Retail Development

Chapter 5 also includes the suggestion that when “identifying areas for employment, enterprise and retail related development a concerted emphasis will be placed on facilitating and encouraging carbon reduction through various mechanisms. The focus on delivering jobs in close proximity to residential areas to enable people to use sustainable transport modes to access work (walking, cycling and public transport) is at a most basic level something that is supported to help address the Climate Change agenda. The shift to a low carbon economy across Galway is seen as an opportunity for further employment creation within this sector through technological innovation and investment.”

Proposed amendment or inclusion:

1. Proposing that we shift to more sustainable transport modes to access work is, as suggested, something that should be done at the most basic level. In reality, the entire economic system we live in needs to be adjusted. This shift is already happening in a number of locations across the world and Galway County Council can lead in this transformation in Ireland by collaborating with communities to implement new ideas. Two of the primary drivers in this area are:
   1. 1. Doughnut Economics which offers a vision of what it means for humanity to thrive in the 21st century - Further information, including the implementation of this model in a number of locations can be found here: https://doughnuteconomics.org/
      2. Community Wealth Building is a new people-centred approach to local economic development, which redirects wealth back into the local economy, and places control and benefits into the hands of local people. This model has proven to be particularly successful in Preston in the UK and Cleveland in the US with more local councils now adopting the model with great success. More information can be found on: https://cles.org.uk/

While both of these models (and others) are relatively new in practice the County Development Plan can begin to look at their implementation at a local level by working with communities in strategic sites they have identified in the plan. Pilot programmes should be included to test and experiment with new economic ideas that can support regeneration efforts across the county. 

Rationale:

ES1 of the Draft Development Plan states it’s “Support the preparation of an Economic Development Strategy for County Galway” with an emphasis on “significant economic growth within the metropolitan towns, key towns and areas of strategic potential”. The challenge with this position is that economic growth, in a business-as-usual scenario, contradicts the climate action objectives of the plan. Doughnut Economics and Community Wealth Building offer two examples of emerging economic models that are place-based and more sustainable to a society confronted with a climate and biodiversity emergency. The onus is on Galway County Council to recognise these emerging innovations and work towards something that is truly more sustainable. A more open and experimental approach needs to be taken that works with and co-designs solutions at a community level. This re-emphasises the above point that social enterprises and cooperatives need to be included as important actors in economic, enterprise and retail development in the region.