Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Has the Minister met representatives of ISME and other representative associations of small businesses and retailers? Many employers in that sector have been pushed into unemployment in recent years and do not have the cushion others have in terms of access to the social protection system. I acknowledge that in the budget cost neutral measures may be introduced in this regard. It is only right and proper that a safety net be provided, given that the sector has been forgotten in the past 12 to 18 months.

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