The Small Firms Association(SFA) and Ibec, the group that represents Irish businesses, have both set out what they feel are the key priorities for the next government, ahead of a rumoured November general election. Jobs are high up on the agenda for both parties.
Over the coming weeks and months, Ibec will roll out a major national print, online and social media campaign, host a range of events around the country and launch detailed policy proposals to address some of the big challenges facing the country.
Businesses will be talking to voters, political parties and general election candidates, setting out why the future success of the country is wedded to the success of domestic and international businesses operating here.
Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said: "The next general election will profoundly affect how the country develops over the next five years and beyond. We have a chance to emerge from crisis into a new phase of opportunity and prosperity, but we can't take it for granted. All political parties need to recognise the intrinsic link between a successful business community, job creation and a thriving economy and society.”
Elsewhere, the SFA has called on the Government to tackle the high rate of jobless households in Ireland, which currently stands at 23%. SFA Chairman AJ Noonan commented, “It is encouraging to see the unemployment rate fall again to 9.4%, but we cannot become complacent. We need to think about where the next 100,000 jobs are going to come from. It is imperative that we support entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses, which will create more jobs.”
The SFA, which represents 8,500 small businesses has proposed twenty-eight initiatives to create and sustain jobs in the Irish economy, in its submission on the Action Plan for Jobs 2016, to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD.
"There is anxiety amongst small businesses about the increasing cost of doing business in Ireland, which is already 21% above the EU average,” Noonan continued. “Recent announcements by Government relating to a potential increase in the National Minimum Wage by 50 cent, mandatory pension provision and a living wage has caused existing businesses to rethink their planned recruitment.”
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan
