Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
WHILE THE OVERALL government satisfaction rating has gone up for small and medium businesses, the figures are still relatively negative, according to the Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association, ISME.
The latest Government Satisfaction Survey shows that the overall satisfaction rating improved from -41% to -4%, with small businesses the least satisfied at -58%, while medium businesses are satisfied at 8%.
Government satisfaction
The manufacturing is the least satisfied sector, at -28%, but all sectors recorded an increase in Government satisfaction.
Commenting on the survey, ISME CEO, Mark Fielding said the figures reflect increased satisfaction levels amongst SME owner-managers with the Government’s performance.
Fielding said:
However, this is no excuse for Government complacency as the figures are largely still negative. Budget 2015 is an opportunity for Government to build on this improvement, not through the popularity-politics of giveaway budgets that we have seen in the past, but through sustainable and innovative policies which will improve competitiveness.
ISME has called on Government to address the continuing increases in business costs which are negatively affecting SMEs and holding back the recovery.
“The indicators all show positive improvements in line with the general consensus that the economy is slowly working its way back to growth,” said ISME, however, the association warned of any relaxation in the drive for productivity gains in the public sector in the long lead up to the next election.
Legal fees
They said that there are a number of items that need to be addressed. “The fact that inflation figures are so low gives a false impression of business costs and less incentive to take any action. A perfect example of this is the delay in addressing legal fees through legislation, which is being stalled by the usual suspects, the highly paid lawyers,” said ISME.
In terms of banking, SMEs are more satisfied with banking, with satisfaction levels going from -66% to -47%.
ISME said that the improvement is a reflection of the slight improvements SMEs have seen in accessing bank finance.
“Small businesses are again the least satisfied grouping with a dissatisfaction rating of -53. All categories of micro, small and medium businesses score very high dissatisfaction ratings in this category, a clear signal to Government that their efforts in relation to bank finance must be improved,” said the association.
Businesses were also asked for their rating for ‘economic management post Troika’. The rating improved from -33 to +6 in this quarter, a reflection of the general positive economic feeling, said ISME.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Puts are own problems and concerns into a different perspective.
Where has the humanity gone? Climate change is manifesting itself every day in some or other part of the world.
These poor people, just trying to live and look after their families, totally powerless in the face of what the climate is doing to them, dependent on the charity and goodwill of others.
And on the other hand, you have the like of Putin and Johnson, selfish, power hungry men, totally oblivious to the suffering they are causing to the people around them.
I fear for the future of the world and if there is a God, I hope that he balances things out for all of mankind, and soon.
@Mary Walshe: We can’t wait to have perfect leaders or perfect climate or even for a god to do something. People are dying right now and we can change that Right now all those people need is food and surely you and i and everyone else can do that. I’m glad they can depend in a little way on their fellow man to help them ,ie charities. So until that better world comes let’s just put our hands in our pockets and help. That’s humanity, in action! It’s in our control.
Ever since I was a little boy and that was not yesterday, there has been famine and suffering in Africa. Charities have applied much needed ‘plasters’ to each problem but the problems continue. Politicians have bled their people dry and created vast wealth for themselves in the process and local politicians have used their positions in well paid jobs in charities as stepping boards to better paid jobs in politics, where they promote themselves and forget about the charities. Donations, much of which go, not to those in need but to CEO’s salaries and collectors commission. A radical approach has to be taken and focused on the political systems within those countries by those World bodies i.e. the U.N. so little starving girls can plan for their long term future. Charities know that without tackling the politicians/U.N. etc they, albeit unintentionally, prolong the little girls suffering and lack of hope. Plasters won’t prevent hunger. These people deserve better.
@Barrycelona: Very true. But also, what kind of person has numerous kids knowing that some or all of them will die from malnutrition or starvation because they can’t take care of them.
@Jim Smith: Poverty!! Just like Ireland in pre war times. It was inevitable that several children would die and that was one of the reasons people had such large families. Poorer families have always had more children. The more children that survived, the greater chance of a bigger ‘ income’. Men also have a lot to answer for, in the way they used and treated women, even in today’s World
@Jim Smith: Poverty!! Just like Ireland in pre war times. It was inevitable that several children would die and that was one of the reasons people had such large families. Poorer families have always had more children. The more children that survived, the greater chance of a bigger ‘ income’. Men also have a lot to answer for, in the way they used and treated women, even in today’s World.
@Barrycelona: Well no matter how poor I was, I wouldn’t have many children knowing that I couldn’t feed all of them and that some will die because I might get more money. That’s sick. The thing is that the Africans that I work with agree with me. The media seems to portray Africans as helpless sadists. Many are highly educated and intelligent people who care if their children live or die.
Why is this under ‘Ukraine’ news?
have your say