Certainty for businesses ahead of Budget 2023

Businesses have been given absolute certainty ahead of the Budget that they will continue to be assisted into 2023, a Fine Gael conference has heard.

Hundreds of party members, business owners and representatives, along with senior politicians, attended a conference in Thomond Park today to discuss and debate how Fine Gael in Government can support small and medium sized businesses.

The Fine Gael Executive Council established an Enterprise and Small Business Council, with the inaugural AGM taking place at the end of today’s conference.

The Council provides a means for members interested in enterprise and small business to come together to discuss related issues and to interact with party spokespersons and Ministers.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said: “It’s great to be in Limerick today to meet and hear from members of the business community, small and medium enterprises, party members, supporters and indeed, the wider business community.

“Small businesses employ more people in Ireland than the public sector and the multinationals combined, and they employ people all over Ireland. It is vital that they have a Government that supports them, and that’s what we’re going to do.

“We heard about the challenges that businesses face at the moment in recruiting and retaining staff and also the very high energy costs that are threatening the viability of some businesses. We want business owners and entrepreneurs know that we can and will help.

“Today’s engagement will inform decisions that we’ll make not just in relation to the budget next week, but also decisions we’ll make over the next two years.”

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said: “Fine Gael’s policy focus is not just on helping workers and rewarding work but also on supporting the people who create and sustain jobs.

“What the Government will do over the next two days is conclude decisions regarding the measures we will take to assist households and for businesses.

“We are really aware of the pressure of the challenges that many are facing at the moment and we have given them certainty that we are on their side and will help in any way we can.”

European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness, who attended toady’s conference, said: “Today’s Small Business and Enterprise Conference was a golden opportunity to engage directly with small and medium sized businesses. SMEs are the backbone of the European economy – 25 million European SMEs employ approximately 100 million people.

“These enterprises are exposed to disruptions across supply chains and high energy costs. SMEs need support in difficult times from Government and our work at EU level ensures that the issues of concern to SMEs are addressed, including reducing the regulatory burden and access to finance.

“As a member of the single market, Ireland benefits from having access to a market of 440 million people, and opportunities to further utilise this should be seized. The trick is to think single market not cross border.

“The importance of SMEs was recognised by President von der Leyen in her SOTEU address, in which she announced an SME ‘Relief Package’ with green and digital at its core. Europe stands with SMEs.”