IBEC survey shows rise in business confidence

One in four employers are planning to hire new workers in the coming months, according to a survey conducted by the Irish Business and Employers Federation.

That's just one of the positive findings of the latest business sentiment survey which also shows that business confidence improved strongly in the first three months of 2013.

Fergal O'Brien, Chief Economist with IBEC, said a number of things now need to happen for business to really thrive.

He said: "What we need is an improvement in demand in the external economy, we need to see more stabilistaion right across Europe in particular.

"In terms of the things that Government can control here, it is very important that sensible approaches in terms of closing the fiscal adjustment. That needs to be done in the right way, it needs to be done by reducing excessive expenditure and not by additional taxes on the economy."