How small firms are driving Ireland out of recession

A recent survey indicated Ireland has a high proportion of people willing to take the entrepreneurial plunge by launching their own business, writes John Daly

THE depths of a recession would seem, at first glance, to be the worst time to start a new business. Yet a recent survey reveals that almost half the population would like to be their own boss, and almost a quarter of them have already taken steps to make this dream a reality.

In 2009, 1,080 people took the plunge into the deep end of self employment every month — a figure that seems set to be exceeded in 2010.