Businesses are the ‘backbone’ of communities

A local Senator has said the government needs to do more to support small businesses who are the “backbone” of our communities.

“Business closes, the whole community loses,” said Senator Sarah O’Reilly.

She says that challenges facing the small business owner include high PRSI, USC, VAT, commercial rates, insurance, energy bills, the rising minimum wage and now the new auto-enrolment scheme.

“They take all the risk, create local jobs and keep towns alive, yet they are treated as an afterthought in national policy. We cannot continue taxing indigenous businesses out of existence while becoming increasingly reliant on foreign multinationals,” said the Aontu representative.

She’s calling on the Government to take small steps to support small businesses, like a PRSI rebate or a reform of the commercial rates system.

Senator O’Reilly pointed to the level of pub closures - Since 2005 2,200 pubs have closed their doors across Ireland. “When a rural pub closes, it is never just a business shutting its doors as it is often the last meeting place in a village. If the Government can provide targeted tax credits to the media industry, it can do the same for the publicans and small business owners who keep rural Ireland alive,” she said.