SFA: Gormley has put 'another nail in coffin of small business'

The Director of the Small Firms Association, Avine McNally, has said that the proposal by Minister John Gormley on the use of work vehicles is "another nail in the coffin for small business".

The director was criticising the Government order for local authorities to force commercial drivers and small vans to legally declare that they will not use them for domestic or pleasure purposes.

Ms McNally said: "It is yet another another layer of bureaucracy that is being imposed on the small business sector from a Government that claims to be supportive of the small business community."

McNally warned that small business cannot afford to accept a situation in which national Exchequer cuts in current spending "result in a raft of stealth taxes".

"Whilst the recent announcement of the cuts in current spending by the Minister for Finance are necessary, this is not an excuse for the various other Departments to levy additional charges on the small business community."

"The Government seem to forget that small firms are the backbone of the Irish economy, they are different and important – important because they create jobs and different because they are managed by people who are willing to take risks even in difficult times."

She said: "It has been stated that this proposal would be difficult to enforce and I question would it not be better for Government to focus their attention on actions and initiatives that would assist not hinder small firms."