The latest business confidence survey from the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises organisation, ISME, was published this morning.
The results are not encouraging. The survey finds that 28% of manufacturing employers expecting to employ fewer people over the next 12 months.
Of the companies surveyed, 44% say their order books are below normal for this time of year while 37% say exports have fallen in value, a doubling of the figure reported this time last year.
ISME chief executive Mark Fielding said SMEs were being hurt not only by global uncertainty, but also by domestic factors. He accused the Government of taking a 'hands off' approach to the economy.
He said a task force for small business was needed, and called for more Research and Development investment in small businesses, adding that the focus on multinationals was masking the problems of the Irish manufacturing sector.
Source: RTE News
