Quarter of small firms expect to increase jobs

One in four small firms are expected to up their job count this year, but one in 10 expect head count to fall, the first quarterly 2013 Jobs Sentiment Survey by the Small Firms Association has found.

SFA director Avine McNally stated: “The recent figures from the CSO Household Survey show that there is stabilisation in the labour market and more encouragingly, employment increased in the private sector in 2012.

“This survey shows that almost one in four (24%) hope to increase employee numbers in 2013, while over the next three months 12% will be recruiting permanent positions.”