SMEs wait 73 days to get paid

THE Government has been accused of killing the small business sector by delaying the payment of money it owes.

The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) said firms are now waiting a record 73 days on average for payment from customers, many of which are state departments.

ISME’s research found that fewer than one in four companies are being paid within 30 days, with almost half of them experiencing delays of 90 days or more.