Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 546: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress of the recommendations of the Report of the Small Business Forum. [20850/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 546 together.

The Report of the Small Business Forum published in May 2006, sets out a comprehensive agenda designed to ensure that the small business sector achieves its full potential and continues to play a key role in our economic development over the next decade. The Forum's recommendations were focussed on three fundamental objectives: creating a better environment for small enterprises; stimulating growth of small enterprises; and encouraging more and better start-ups. Since the Report was published, considerable progress has been made in respect of the implementation of the Report. Examples of actions taken to date include:

The threshold for the exemption from the requirement that companies have their accounts audited has been increased from €1.5m to €7.3m.

The Budget included a package of measures designed to help the small business sector including the extension and radical improvement of the Business Expansion and Seed Capital Schemes up to 2013 and important increases in the VAT Cash Accounting and VAT Registration Turnover Thresholds from 1 March 2007 to simplify administration and reduce working capital requirements on small businesses.

The Innovation Voucher Scheme was launched. This scheme provides an incentive to small businesses to explore new ideas within their businesses and should help drive levels of innovation within the sector.

The "Tech-Check" Programme has been launched. This programme provides small businesses with the opportunity to access a highly subsidised independent technology check-up and help them to identify ways to boost their productivity and profitability through the better use of technology. This Programme is being delivered by the County and City Enterprise Board.

The Management Development Council has been established to drive levels of managerial capability within the enterprise sector. The Council will benchmark Ireland's current management development provision while also developing a coordinated approach to building appreciation in the SME sector for the value and need of leadership and management skills.

The first "Small Business in Ireland" Report was published by the Central Statistics Office On 30 May 2007. This publication brings together for the first time a comprehensive set of statistics that clearly demonstrates the importance of the small business sector to our economy and has been widely welcomed by the business community.

Reflecting the concerns of the Forum, new Guidelines to Local Authorities on the implementation of Development Contribution Schemes under the Planning and Development Act 2000, issued by the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government earlier this year, have emphasised the need for the impact of such Schemes on our competitiveness to be taken into account.

The extent of the Government's commitment to the small business sector should be clear from the real and substantive changes that have already been implemented in response to the Forum's Report. It is my intention that we will continue to work on this agenda and ensure that there is a supportive environment for small business in Ireland.