Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is not my contention but that of the survey that the small and medium enterprise sector is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the Government's progress on this issue. In this regard, the survey cites the lack of and reduction in credit over the past year and the procurement rules operated by this State, including the continuing policy of rolling up procurement in this State which makes it inaccessible to SMEs. I have tabled numerous questions to the Minister's Department on the issue but they are continually deflected.

The SME sector is also dissatisfied with the creeping increases in costs here, including the price of diesel, the cost of which in Ireland is the fourth highest in the EU, electricity costs and upward only rents, which issue the Government continues to fail to address. On the issue of rates, businesses want rates to be progressive and to reflect the profitability of a business but there is no effort on the part of Government to try to create a progressive rate to allow this to happen. These are the issues that the business community is focused on. I would encourage the Government to listen to it and to try to resolve those issues.

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