Resources & Guides
Curated tools, guides and support for understanding, starting and running a co-operative in Ireland.
This is a curated collection of the most useful resources for understanding, starting and running a co-operative in Ireland. We have gathered them from across the movement, and each one is here because we think it is worth your time. Much of the best practical material in English has been produced for a UK, US, Canadian or Australian context; where that is the case we have said so, and the core content is almost always relevant here, even where the legal and regulatory detail differs.
The resources are grouped by type, from introductory guides and templates to tools, advisory bodies and suppliers. Use the search box to find anything by name or keyword, or narrow the list with the Subject, Sector and Region filters. The filters combine, so you can select Housing and Ireland together, for example, to see only what applies to Irish housing co-operatives. The count above the list shows how many resources match, and you can clear any filter by selecting “All” again.
We keep this collection up to date. If a link has broken, something has gone out of date, or you know of a resource that belongs here, use the feedback form at the foot of the page. We read every submission.
Guide24
This section gathers explanatory guides, how-tos and background reading for anyone learning about co-operatives or exploring a topic in more depth.
The internationally recognised definition of a co-operative and the seven principles that all co-operatives share.
Clear, jargon-free overview of the different types of co-operative — worker, consumer, community, producer, housing, credit and more.
An overview of the legal structures available for social enterprises in Ireland, including co-operative forms.
The practical SoFA handbook — circles, roles, consent, feedback, meeting formats. The one to actually work through as a group.
A free, modular "pattern library" you can adopt piece by piece rather than all at once. Good if the group wants to trial elements before committing to a whole system.
A UK co-op with excellent free guides on consensus decision-making, facilitation and running meetings well. Even if you land on sociocracy, these facilitation guides are worth reading.
General guide to organising a project, initiative, group or enterprise. Useful for founders at the earliest stages.
A detailed guide to the systems and processes for running a sustainable community enterprise, from board roles to member engagement.
Introduction to sociocratic governance methods adapted for co-operative organisations.
Clear explanation of the difference between consent-based and consensus-based decision-making — useful for co-operatives choosing their governance approach.
The book that pulled Buurtzorg, Morning Star and others into one framework of self-managing organisations. The single best overview of the territory.
A large, readable library of case studies on self-managing and progressive workplaces, good for seeing many models side by side.
Illustrated five-booklet series designed to help organisations deal with conflict when it arises and avoid unnecessary conflict.
Practical starting guide including a checklist and business plan template for co-operatives in Ireland.
The best plain-language step-by-step guide to starting a co-operative available in English.
A detailed guide to community share offers. Directly applicable in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with some relevance to Ireland.
A thorough guide to understanding and managing co-operative finances.
A detailed guide to financing a co-operative, covering budgeting, cash flow and accessing finance.
A full toolkit for starting a food co-operative.
Practical guide from one of the UK's most successful worker-owned grocery co-operatives.
Research publication and start-up guides for co-operative and community-led housing projects in an Irish context.
Radical Routes' housing co-op guidance has moved to a wiki-based toolkit covering setup, finance and people.
A detailed guide to starting a worker co-operative, from incorporation through to governance and pay structures.
A full guide to starting a solidarity co-operative with multiple member classes.
Templates / Examples3
Here you'll find ready-to-use templates, model policies and real examples from other co-operatives that you can adapt for your own use.
A full set of working policies with a co-operative focus, which you can adapt as templates for your own organisation.
The public organisational handbook of Greaterthan, a stewardship co-operative, and a real working example of how a co-operative documents its governance and operations.
A one-page timeline for setting up a worker co-operative — a quick companion to the fuller guide above.
Tool / Platform8
These are software tools and digital platforms, built by or for co-operatives, that support everything from decision-making to video conferencing.
Rule generator for online communities and unincorporated associations — useful for bootstrapping basic governance.
Participatory budgeting tool for groups and organisations.
Decision-making and governance tool developed by a New Zealand co-operative. Widely used for democratic processes.
Co-operatively hosted video conferencing built on BigBlueButton.
Co-operatively hosted open-source tools for organisations.
Open-source video conferencing. Free, no account required.
Directory of code repositories by co-ops, for co-ops.
Helps you decide what decision-making process is appropriate for a given situation.
Suppliers / Services8
These co-operative businesses supply everyday products and services, and offer a co-operative alternative to a conventional supplier.
Most credit unions offer basic accounts suitable for early-stage co-operatives. Use the locator to find your nearest one.
Co-operative accountancy firm — accounting, tax and advisory services, with particular expertise in farming, agribusiness, food and family business.
Co-operative delivering recruitment services — specialist IT, industrial, commercial and professional recruitment across sectors including agribusiness, healthcare and construction.
Ireland's driver-owned taxi app. Drivers are co-op owners and keep their full fare, with no surge pricing or platform fees.
Decentralised food marketplace. Existing UK co-operative with an Irish co-operative in formation.
Worker-owned home cleaning platform — a working example of platform co-operativism.
Ethical home-sharing platform, looking for new city partners.
Community-owned energy provider sourcing from energy co-operatives in Ireland.
Advisor / Support9
These organisations provide direct, practical support with development, legal, financial and other needs as you start or grow a co-operative.
Co-operative development body in Northern Ireland with expertise in all stages of co-operative development.
National federation of agricultural and rural co-operatives in Ireland with expertise in incorporation of societies and ongoing legal and governance support.
UK-based development body that helps people and communities form co-operatives across Europe — business planning, incubation and start-up finance support.
Social finance provider working on an all-island basis with a track record of lending to co-operatives of all types.
Charitable foundation with aims including co-operative development within rural communities. They consider requests for support from early-stage co-operatives.
Source of start-up funding for certain kinds of co-operatives. Contact your local LEADER partnership for details.
Advocates for the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) model as a succession route for Irish businesses, operating both north and south of the border.
Development body for start-up and established energy co-operatives.
Social justice organisation supported by the trade union movement with a focus on supporting the development of worker-led co-operatives.
Movement5
These federations, alliances and networks represent co-operatives and connect the wider movement, in Ireland and internationally.
A network for those working within the co-operative and solidarity economy in Ireland.
Network of social enterprises in Ireland providing advice and mentoring.
The global voice of the co-operative movement, representing over 300 co-operative federations and organisations across 100+ countries.
The European region of the ICA — represents co-operatives in EU policy and connects national movements across the continent.
The UK's national federation. Their guides, research and resources are among the best in the English-speaking world and directly relevant to the Irish context.
Media / Podcast7
This section lists podcasts and interviews that explore co-operatives and self-managing organisations through real conversations and case studies.
A podcast hosted by Janel and Anna about reimagining business structures and exploring worker-owned cooperative models.
Recommended episode — Anna and Janel's honest reflection on their 2025 journey toward becoming a worker-owned co-op.
Recommended episode — how Leeds Bread Co-op used traditional business management techniques to pull back from financial crisis.
Recommended episode — how worker co-operatives offered flexibility and mutual support that conventional workplaces didn't, explored through disability and accommodation.
Discussion on community wealth building approaches in Ireland.
Monthly deep-dive discussions on cooperative movement topics, hosted by Co-op News editor Rebecca Harvey and retired business professor Colin Talbot.
Long-form interviews with worker cooperators, organisers and researchers, documenting the ideas and experiments shaping worker cooperation internationally.
Government / Public body4
These are the Irish government departments responsible for policy areas relevant to co-operatives.
Responsible for enterprise policy, business supports, corporate law generally and leads the development of co-operative society legislation.
Responsible for policy related to the circular economy, community energy and climate action.
Responsible for rural development, community development and social enterprise policy.
Responsible for housing policy — private, social, affordable and co-operative — in addition to local government.
Legislation / Policy1
This section covers legislation, official reports and policy documents relevant to co-operatives in Ireland.
The Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment's report from their examination of the General Scheme.
Training4
This section lists structured courses and training programmes for co-operatives and self-managing organisations.
Consulting, coaching and training in sociocracy and cooperative governance, for building healthy, empowered workplaces.
A six-week course on building a self-managing, hierarchy-free organisation, taught through case studies of pioneering companies.
Certified training across agriculture, health and safety, forestry, construction and employability. Specialises in the agri-sector but delivers relevant training to many sectors.
Governance training for directors, chairs, secretaries, boards and risk leads — as scheduled courses or in-house programmes.
Help us keep this up to date
Tell us what would make this page more useful. Corrections, updates, resources we have missed, or feedback on the site itself are all welcome, from anywhere in the movement.