46% of firms are family-run

IN 2005, family businesses accounted for 46% of all enterprises and 39% of all employees but only 29% of total turnover, according to statistics from the CSO.

In a report yesterday it said the majority of family businesses were small and 98% had less than 50 employees. More than half were trading in the more traditional industries, such as the distributive trades or hospitality industries, with only 8% operating in the more hi-tech sectors like logistics and communications.