Ireland will be able to exit bailout thanks to the ‘courage of SMEs’

Small firms lobby group Isme has criticised Government policy relating to its sector, stating that Ireland would not be able to exit its troika bailout programme without the economic contribution made by SMEs.

“Ireland would not be preparing to exit the bailout at the end of this year if it had not been for the sheer hard work and courage of SME owner-managers throughout the crisis,” Isme chairman, Eamonn Kielty, told delegates at his organisation’s annual conference in Dublin, yesterday.

“SMEs are the cornerstone of this economy and yet our needs are continuously ignored by a government that allows high business costs to prohibit opportunities for owner-managers to create employment,” he added.