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Report of Advisory Group for Small Business - 5 immediate deliverables to be actioned towards addressing key concerns of Small Business.

Minister for Small Business, John Perry T.D. today (Monday 28 November) indicated his intention to progress in conjunction with the relevant Government Departments, Five of the Actions from the Advisory Group for Small Business Report.  This follows confirmation received by Government that these recommendations should be progressed with immediately.

 The initiatives identified represent actions that can be taken quickly and which address some key concerns of small business identified by the Advisory Group. The initial actions to be delivered are:- 

• Managing out of the Crisis: Develop a simple one page guide setting out warning signs to encourage small businesses to ask for help and outline services available; 
• Cost Burden of Regulations: Audit and review the multiplicity of licences required by businesses to assess the potential for discontinuing some licences and for amalgamating licences; 
• Hidden Economy: Illicit Tobacco Trade: Introduce container scanner at ports with large volumes of container traffic; 
• Prompt Payments: make available an Official Notice regarding the Government’s current 15 day Prompt Payment Practice; 
• Prompt Payments: Develop a Voluntary Code of Conduct on Payments within the private sector. 

“These are pragmatic ideas which are capable of early implementation to help small companies access the business supports they require, address some of the challenges of the hidden economy, assist their cash flow by promoting prompt payments, and seek ways to reduce administrative burdens,” Minister Perry said. 

The Report also identifies measures which call for action by industry itself and by business representative bodies. Minister Perry continued: “I will be calling on the small business sector’s representative bodies to play their part in helping their members through these difficult times.”

The full Report The Voice of Small Business* which was published last Wednesday, will feed into the Government’s broader Action Plan for Jobs, to be launched early in the New Year.

 ENDS

For further information please contact:

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: 631 2200,

press.office@djei.ie