Rising costs top agenda at ISME conference in Laois

The Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association is due to discuss the issue of rising business costs at a conference in Co Laois today.

The meeting has been arranged to debate the challenges ahead for smaller firms in Ireland.

ISME says such businesses are seeing their costs rising at around 10% per year, but are risking their survival if they increase prices as a result.

Speaking ahead of the conference, ISME chief executive Mark Fielding said: "The bottom line is being squeezed left, right and centre, so it's a challenge to actually be more innovative."