ISME welcomes jobs initiative

Business lobby group ISME has welcomed the measures announced in the Government’s jobs’ initiative, but warned that what was "urgently needed was a comprehensive economic plan which addressed the Government deficit, the total cost base and the banking crisis".

ISME said that "we cannot lose sight of the fact that, as a country, we are borrowing for day to day expenditure and credit starved SME employers will only be in a position to increase employment when their cost base has reduced and banks begin to lend normally".