The new unit promises to support SMEs, which employ two-thirds of workers in Ireland.
The Irish Government has established a Small Business Unit aimed at giving SMEs in the country more focus and support. The new unit will be based in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The Small Business Unit will focus on implementing the SME test, said Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke, TD. The SME test analyses the effects of upcoming EU legislative proposals on SMEs.
The Unit will also oversee the simplification of information and ease access to grants and supports for businesses through the National Enterprise Hub. It will also ensure that local enterprise offices are resourced to help small businesses.
The 2025 Programme for Government set out plans to establish a unit dedicated to small businesses. According to the programme, the Government plans to identify redundant regulations and reduce red tape for SMEs, and conduct reviews and reduce the cost of running SMEs and family-owned businesses. Moreover, the Government promises to provide on-the-job training and apprenticeship schemes.
According to the Central Statistics Office, SMEs account for 98.8pc of all Irish businesses and 69.2pc of people employed. “Small businesses employ two-thirds of our population and keep our local communities and economies vibrant and strong,” said Burke.
“Government must recognise this, and ensure we are providing the support that SMEs need to run their businesses successfully and continue to provide vital employment and economic benefit across the country,” he added.
The Small Business Unit comes in addition to the Government agreeing to accelerate the development of an Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, as well as adopting a series of short-term measures to address the competitiveness challenges facing Ireland.
The Government recently launched a new national strategy aimed at establishing Ireland as a leader in semiconductors. The policy aims to target large investments from tech giants into the country.
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