Conference to address needs of SMEs

SMEs want local and national government to organise tenders for big contracts in such a way that Ireland’s 250,000 small and medium sized enterprises can bid for them.

This will be one of the issues discussed at an international conference in Athlone next week organised by the EU’s committee of the regions and attended by representatives from all 27 member states.

The principle of “think small first” is becoming even more important now in the EU given slowing growth and with 23 million SMEs in business.