The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny, T.D., today [Thursday] attended the first meeting of the Small Business Advisory Group which is being chaired by John Perry, T.D., the Minister For Small Business.

The Taoiseach welcomed the initiative taken by John Perry in establishing the Small Business Advisory Group and thanked the members for agreeing to participate.

“Small and medium enterprises play a crucial and often underestimated role in our economy. My Government is committed to making Ireland the best small country in which to do business. We will work with all sectors of the business community in order to achieve this.”

The Minister for Small Business, John Perry said that “it is vitally important that as a Government we communicate what we are doing and that we hear close hand what issues need to be addressed more urgently and what measures can be considered to further support small business.”

Minister Perry said that the Small Business Advisory Group would be working against the backdrop of the most difficult challenge ever confronted by this State in relation to the position of the public finances. “Any initiatives developed must have regard to what is deliverable in this context.”

The broad terms of reference for the Small Business Advisory Group are to facilitate structured and regular dialogue between the Minister for Small Business and representatives of the small business sector on issues of concern to that sector on how to promote the economic development and job potential of the sector having regard to the current restraints imposed on the national finances and to recommend action points and follow up. The Group is not being required to issue any Report.

Membership of the Small Business Advisory Group includes entrepreneurs, nominees from the main small business representative bodies, John Trethowan of the Credit Review Office and officials from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation as well as from the state enterprise support agencies, Forfas, Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs). The Group will be supported by DJEI and Forfás and the full list of members is attached as an appendix.

ENDS