Small businesses are estimated to create 25,000 new jobs in 2018, according to Sue O’Neill, Chair of the Small Firms Association (SFA). In her end of year statement, said: “2017 has been a challenging but successful year for small businesses. Brexit, wage inflation and increasing business costs are the main obstacles for small businesses in Ireland. However, as the year draws to a close, nearly two thirds of small firms feel that the business environment is improving.
“Domestic economic growth in 2018 is likely to be close to 4 per cent and our members see this as the biggest opportunity for their business in the coming year. 71 per cent of SFA member companies plan to take on additional staff and we estimate that together small businesses will create 25,000 jobs in 2018. These jobs will be in a wide variety of sectors, giving a boost to villages, towns and cities across Ireland.
“However, concrete steps are needed from Government in order for this job creation to be realised. Creating a strategy for growth for small businesses with special focus on tax competitiveness and the cost of doing business especially in light of Brexit should be the top priority in the coming year. By creating a real pro-growth tax system and making sure that work always pays, employees, small businesses and society as a whole will be better off.”
