We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS FOR small business are constructed in “such a way as to make sure and certain they’re not used”, the head of the Small Firms Association has said.
AJ Noonan made his comments at the SFA annual conference this morning.
He said that supports such as the credit guarantee scheme are designed by people “who know nothing about how a small business actually works.”
He described the CGS as “an abject failure” that, if run properly, “could allow businesses to grow and flourish”.
It needs to be addressed and amended now.
Small businesses had created 800,000 thousand jobs over a ten year period, and could do so again, but only “if there are some radical changes introduced in a number of areas, including finance, taxation and procurement.”
Pointing to the much maligned employment and investment incentive scheme, which is designed to help small businesses raise cash from investors, he said that it raised only €12 million last year, while its predecessor scheme raised €120 million in 2007.
“Daft” policies
The SFA also called for a cut in the rate of capital gains and income tax in order to encourage entrepreneurship.
Noonan said that the Government is one of the worst performers for awarding work to domestic companies.
“28 per cent of tenders are being awarded to companies outside of Ireland…Ireland frequently tops the list of countries most likely to award to non-national companies.”
He said that the policy of awarding tenders based on cost is “daft”, as it forces Irish companies out of work, adding to the social welfare bill when they are forced to cut their employees loose.
Improvements in the procurement process so far, he said, were “small and ultimately meaningless.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The three great lies of our time:-
1. The cheque is in the post.
2. Of course I’ll still love you in the morning and
3. I’m from the Government and I’m here to help you.b
The SFA to get SFA
Well it is about time someone pointed this out. The Irish Government are the worst users of Irish companies. I work in Cloud Computing, it is said at every conference… If you have a product or idea, you better approach Northern Ireland first.
Small Irish IT companies find selling aboard so much better. Irish Government (and to certain extend Irish companies) are very poor at believing there own people. So even if they offer the contract they expect to pay far less than UK/EU would pay. On top of that if a UK company came into do a job they pay market rates… It is an embarrassing disgrace…
On top of that Irish Companies have money withheld from them until tax clearance is shown… Something I don’t believe is done for our foreign companies.
If anyone wants proof, look at the consulting companies used for Irish Water. Doesn’t look like many Irish there?
This is consistent.. Think about it another way… How about the Irish government back Irish companies and set up semi states to privatise around Government solutions… We are only 1% of Europe, if we devise and build the solutions the market is big and employment would follow….
the great new dawn turns out to be a bag of the same old s***e.
Typical of a policy drawn up by public servants who have no idea how the private sector actually operates.
So that means 28 % of brown envelopes to the govermebt come from outside the country
Hang on, so the SFA want the businesses to be financed by someone else, not have to pay as much tax as that someone else and be awarded contracts even though they are not competitive?? I’m missing the downside for them and the upside for the rest of us
Upside would possibly be the creation of jobs and getting people off the dole.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS FOR small business are constructed in “such a way as to make sure and certain they’re not used”
- Surely no -one believed that . Good election ploy for fools tho !!
Plenty if left wing anti business idiots in this country
So you think, people that lean to the left are idiots and are anti-business? Open your mouth, remove all doubt!
There’s no question, left wing economic policy is, shall we say, less pro-business.
This government work the roundabout system, Once your on it you can’t get off , You keep going around and around until you run out of juice.
What roundabouts have you been on?
You shouldn’t have, turned that corner?
have your say