Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that I hear what he is saying. I spend a lot of time speaking to small businesses. That is my job. Even this morning, we were at a hub summit, which was about supporting, both financially and from a policy point of view, enterprise hubs around the country and helping small businesses to get on their feet and grow. We have never had more small businesses in the country. We have never had more people employed by small businesses than we have today but there are pressures that many small businesses are undoubtedly feeling with regard to the cost of doing business.

Through the Covid-19 pandemic and arising from the implications of the war on Ukraine for the cost of supply chains, energy and so on, the Government has provided hundreds of millions of euro in support for small businesses and will continue to do so. In the first quarter of next year, we will provide over €250 million to about 140,000 small businesses throughout the country in recognition of the increased cost of doing business.

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