Sinn Féin Publish SME Proposals

Sinn Féin have today published their 10 proposals to boost the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector, saying that the sector holds the "greatest potential for jobs growth in the State".

Launching the proposals documents, 'Putting SME's First', the party's spokesperson on Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, Peadar Tóibín said: "Almost 70% of people employed in Ireland are employed in this sector."

Adding: "The focus of successive Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil governments, however, has always been on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – something the current Government revisited again in its latest ‘Jobs action plan’.

"An overemphasis on FDI has left the SME sector struggling. They are the life-blood of the Irish economy, and cannot be neglected.

The proposals include the party's '10 steps to SME and Micro-business success:

• Increase consumer demand

• Abolish upward on rents

• Tackle utility costs and rates

• Revive 'Brand Ireland'

• Open up procurement

• End unnecessary licence delays

• Resolve SME debt ristress and prioritise access to credit

• Increase labour intensive infrastructure investment

• Attack the scourge of black-market activity

• eradicate unfair cross border practices and tackle the costs of doing business on the border

"For Sinn Féin, SMEs are the priority when it comes to fostering indigenous industry and ensuring job creation," Deptuy Tóibín said.

"We strongly urge this government to consider our proposals as a matter of urgency for the SME sector."

The full 'Putting SME's First' document can be found on the

Sinn Fein website

(MH)