Smalls firms seek commitment from State agencies on bills

STATE agencies like the HSE and local authorities will be asked to commit to paying their bills within 15 working days, following a meeting between the Small Firms Association (SFA) and the Minister for Small Business John Perry.

Minister Perry is also actively considering SFA suggestions such as a review of local authority charges, a government-backed loan guarantee, the freeing up of banking credit, a new strategy to encourage entrepreneurship from schools level up, a reduction of the regulatory burden with a review of bankruptcy laws, and a revenue-neutral plan to allow small firms reinvest their profits from here to 2013 to grow their businesses and sustain jobs.

Minister Perry said: “The decision alone to have a Minister for Small Business shows the importance of this area to the economy. The focus for the last 10 years has been all about foreign direct investment. My focus now is on kick-starting the local economy, making banking credit available and building confidence from the ground up.