Minister Burke announces establishment of Small Business Unit
- Foilsithe: 23 Bealtaine 2025
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 27 Bealtaine 2025
The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, has announced the establishment of a dedicated Small Business Unit, based in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Welcoming the establishment of the Unit, Minister Burke said:
"Since my appointment as Minister I have put small businesses front and centre of my priorities.
"The Programme for Government sets out clearly how the needs of small businesses must have a dedicated focus and are recognised and acknowledged across Government.
"The Small Business Unit will focus on rigorously implementing the SME Test, to ensure the perspectives of small businesses are considered across Government before new legislation or regulation is introduced. The Unit will oversee the simplification of information and access to grants and supports for businesses though the National Enterprise Hub. It will also ensure the Local Enterprise Offices are properly resourced to help small businesses.
"Small businesses employ two thirds of our population and keep our local communities and economies vibrant and strong. Government must recognise this, and ensure we are providing the support that SMEs need to run their businesses successfully and continue to provide vital employment and economic benefit across the country."
The move was noted by Government on Tuesday 20 May and fulfils a key commitment in the Programme for Government.
The establishment of the Small Business Unit comes in addition to the government agreeing, in April, to expedite the development of the Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivi as well as adopting a series of short-term measures to address the competitiveness challenges facing Ireland.
Notes
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) (<250 persons employed) accounted for 99.8% of all enterprises and 69.2% of persons employed according to the most recent CSO statistics on these businesses in Ireland. Two-fifths (41.5%) of total turnover and 34.8% of Gross Value Added (GVA) was attributed to these SMEs.
Source - Small and Medium Enterprises Business in Ireland 2021 – Detailed Results - Central Statistics Office