Irish micro-businesses under 'severe pressure' with 30% not optimistic about future trading 

Indigenous businesses focused on the Irish market are also feeling the pinch, according to the survey, with minimum wage legislation, inflation and pandemic-linked debt warehousing impacting these two cohorts more than others.

Irish micro-businesses are suffering under severe pressure, with profitability for many largely out of reach, research conducted by IPSOS B&A suggests.

The latest Linked Finance SME Confidence Index noted no positive profitability metrics amongst micro businesses since 2018, with 30% not optimistic about trade in the next three months, tipping them into negative territory overall for the first time since the covid pandemic.