Software body wants Government commitment

THE Irish Software Association (ISA) wants the Government to make a commitment to buy 20% of its technology requirements from small to medium-sized enterprises.

The ISA made the call in its pre-budget submission citing the example of a similar rule in the US which makes it mandatory for the government to buy technology from smaller companies.

The ISA believes the measure would assist small early stage companies to achieve the important first sale and would act as an excellent reference customer for a start-up company in order to attract further business. The ISA also reiterated its long standing demand to extend the Business Expansion Scheme (BES) and the Seed Capital Scheme (SCS) to 2006 and increase the limits available in both schemes to €2m in order to sustain the future of the Irish software.