Minister ‘dodging SME concerns’

John Perry, the small businesses’ minister, yesterday dodged one of the main concerns for SMEs — cuts made to employers’ redundancy rebates — after having just told delegates at the Small Firms Association’s annual conference that the ability of SMEs to grow will be key to Ireland’s economic growth potential.

In a wide reaching keynote address, Mr Perry pointed to pending government initiatives such as the micro-finance fund and the temporary partial loan guarantee scheme as being potentially key to easing firms’ credit woes.

“If people in small companies are supported, they will create jobs at little or no cost to the State and restore confidence in our people and our economy,” he said.