Smaller businesses need help in two-tier recovery - Smyth

Small and medium businesses need more help to improve their competitiveness, according to a local TD. 

Deputy Niamh Smyth made the comments in light of figures which show that this region has fallen behind when it comes to jobs announcements, with the latest data revealing that 52% of the employment gains in 2015 were in the capital.

Deputy Smyth said that Fianna Fáil is determined to prioritise job creation opportunities for self-employed people and the SME sector. 

'It was a key part of our election manifesto and the party managed to secure a commitment to introduce a PRSI scheme for the self-employed and provide a supportive tax regime for entrepreneurs and the self-employed.

“Despite the progress that has been made on these issues in the budget, more must be done over the next number of years. Competitiveness is still a major challenge for smaller businesses and the fallout from Brexit cannot be underestimated.  This threat will impact businesses in the Border region the hardest – we are already seeing shoppers heading North following the collapse of sterling, and this volatility does not bode well for companies which are exporting.

“We have consistently called for a Minister for Brexit, who would have overall responsibility for the plan to cope with the aftermath of the British exit from the EU.  It’s worrying that the UK continues to have a more attractive system of reliefs for entrepreneurs and we are disappointed that the recent budget did not go far enough to strengthen Irish companies’ ability to compete internationally.

“The two-tier recovery inflicted by Fine Gael must be reversed.  We need a strategic jobs plan for the regions so that indigenous businesses are supported and new jobs can be created outside of Dublin and the commuter counties”.