High costs including energy and rates top concerns for small and medium businesses, says ISME

Neil McDonnell, ISME, chief executive, said high costs remain the dominant concern for members.

The high cost of doing business in Ireland including rates and overheads rank top of a list of concerns of small and medium-sized businesses in Ireland in 2026, according to a survey by representative body ISME.

The Irish SME association published the results of its latest member survey on Monday, identifying the priority issues facing SMEs in 2026. Business costs and labour costs dominate member concerns, with 78% of respondents citing business costs rank as the single biggest issue facing SMEs. These include energy, rent, commercial rates and other overheads.