SMEs poised to employ 20,000 new staff in 2017

jobs

The Small Firms Association (SFA) have today released their end of year statement which calls for fair tax treatment for the self-employed.

The association predicts that domestic economic growth is likely to be around 3.7 per cent in 2017.

Furthermore, 64 per cent of SFA member companies plan to take on additional staff and it is estimated that together small businesses will create 20,000 jobs in 2017. These jobs will be in a wide variety of sectors, giving a boost to villages, towns and cities across Ireland according to SFA.

Chair of the Small Firms Association (SFA), Sue O’Neill says, “2016 has been a rollercoaster year for small businesses. It began with optimism about the broadening and deepening recovery, but issues such as Brexit and emerging wage demands have shaken business confidence. As the year draws to a close, only half of small businesses feel that the business environment is improving.”

She added, “Competitiveness is all the more critical in light of Brexit and tax competitiveness should be the top priority in the coming year. By creating a real pro-business tax system and making sure that work always pays, employees, small businesses and society as a whole will be better off.”