Ms Jean McCabe:

The three biggest costs for any small business are wages, rent and rates. At the moment, small businesses are facing increases in rates and rent is a huge issue and will continue to be, going forward. I would love to be in a position to say that I could afford to pay a living wage but, as a small SME owner, I cannot because my other costs are too high. If more supports were provided to the sector, small businesses might be able to pay a living wage somewhere down the line but wage costs are the largest costs for any business and it is already a challenge to manage them and keep a team employed.