Charges 'strangling' small business: ISME

Charges imposed by local authorities are "strangling the life" out of small businesses, Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (ISME) boss Mark Fielding said today.

"The cost of doing business for the small business community is 'spiralling' out of control," he said, mentioning, in particular, the level of local charges imposed by the local authorities.

Fielding said that in the last three years, local charges including commercial rates, water and waste charges have increased by 32%, more than three times the rate of inflation.

"It is not acceptable that the business community nationally is expected, on a consistent basis, to 'pick up the tab' to meet shortfalls in local authority finances, while domestic consumers literally get off scot free", he said.