Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 2

Written Answers. - Small Firms Association.

Monica Barnes

Question:

27 Mrs. Barnes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on her meeting with the Small Firms Association on 23 February 1998; and the specific requests, if any, that the association made of her. [7652/98]

Michael D'Arcy

Question:

29 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on her meeting with the Small Firms Association on 23 February 1998; and the specific requests, if any, that the association made of her. [7651/98]

Andrew Boylan

Question:

52 Mr. Boylan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on her meeting with the Small Firms Association on 23 February 1998; and the specific requests, if any, that the association made of her. [7650/98]

Nora Owen

Question:

86 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on her meeting with the Small Firms Association on 23 February 1998; and the specific requests, if any, that the association made of her. [7705/98]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Miss Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 29, 52 and 86 together. I met with representatives of the Small Firms Association on 23 February 1998 to hear their views on a range of current issues of importance for the small business sector. The association also presented me with the results of its fourth national employment survey which indicated that the small business sector has been experiencing a healthy growth period in the past 12 months, with high levels of confidence.

The specific requests made by the association are as follows: business tax measures in the December 1998 budget should be particularly beneficial to small business; consideration should be given to the particular difficulties a minimum wage would impose on small firms; regarding recruitment difficulties, unemployed persons in receipt of State payments who refuse legitimate jobs or training opportunities should have their social welfare entitlements reviewed; regarding Partnership 2000, the enterprise link service should be extended to the stage where a one stop shop would exist in major population centres, a central control unit to oversee the easing of the administration burden should be established under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach; regarding UK multiples, the Acquired Rights Directive should be extended to employees of companies who have a substantial business relationship with a company that has been taken over, State agencies should fully support retailers, distributors and suppliers. Moral pressure should be exerted on the multiples; the new Company Development Agency should have a similar legal remit to county enterprise boards in regard to supporting firms in the services sector; and the association requested support for their planned Enterprise 2000 exhibition.

I assured the Small Firms Association that the Government clearly recognises the vital role played by the small business sector in developing our economy and also recognises the difficulties faced by small business in surviving and growing. The Government is fully committed to continually improving the operating environment for small business. Its Action Plan for the Millennium gives a clear commitment to keep "the concerns and growth potential of the small business and services sectors at the top of the political agenda". The Government has also given an undertaking in the programme to fulfil the commitments in Partnership 2000.

The meeting with the association afforded me a useful opportunity to hear the views and concerns of small business at first hand and I will bear these in mind in my effort to continually improve the business environment.

I should also mention that I am committed to ongoing liaison with the small business sector. In addition to meeting the Small Firms Association, I have also met the Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association. I am also being advised by the Small Business and Services Forum, which is comprised mainly of small business practitioners. The forum has a specific mandate to advise me on policy in relation to small business. In addressing the forum, I have made it clear that it has a very important role to play in prioritising the issues of importance for small business and that the views developed by the forum will receive my serious consideration.