
Government announces new Small Business Unit to oversee access to grants
SMEs - those businesses employing less than 250 people - account for 99.8% of all enterprises and 69.2% of persons employed according to the CSO. Enterprise, tourism and employment minister Peter Burke said the Small Business Unit will ensure the perspectives of small businesses are considered across Government before new legislation or regulation is introduced. It will also ensure the local enterprise offices are properly resourced to help small businesses, he said.
'Small businesses employ two thirds of our population and keep our local communities and economies vibrant and strong. Government must recognise this, and ensure we are providing the support that SMEs need to run their businesses successfully and continue to provide vital employment and economic benefit across the country," Mr Burke said.
The move is part of the Programme for Government commitments.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Journal
17 hours ago
- The Journal
Russian-owned alumina refinery in Limerick suspended from energy market
MINISTER FOR ENTERPRISE Peter Burke has said that the government is working 'very closely' with a Russian-owned alumina refinery in Co Limerick following its suspension from the energy market. Aughinish Alumina is Europe's largest alumina refinery and employs 450 people on its 222-hectare site, located close to the Shannon-estuary towns of Foynes and Askeaton. It is owned by Russian metals company Rusal. Eirgrid has confirmed that the company has been suspended from the ex-ante energy market - which provides day-ahead and intraday markets for the buying and selling of wholesale electricity by generators, supply companies and traders. 'Aughinish Alumina have not been taken offline and remain connected to the transmission system,' a spokesperson for Eirgrid said. 'EirGrid can confirm that Aughinish Alumina have been suspended from the ex-ante market in line with a decision by ECC (European Commodity Clearing). EirGrid are currently reviewing the implications of this development.' Speaking to reporters today, the Enterprise Minister said the decision was taken in a sovereign court in Italy. Peter Burke said his department, the Department of Energy, Eirgrid and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) are engaging with the company to 'try and find a pathway for the company'. 'They're a very significant employer, and one that we are committed to working very closely with,' he said. 'Obviously, there are sanctions that we have to adhere to in relation to the ownership structure, as well as its participation now subject to that case in the energy market.' Asked if jobs were under threat at the plant, Burke said: 'We're working with the company, and that's the key thing. Advertisement Aerial view of Aughinish Alumina refinery on the Shannon, Co Limerick. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'We need to ensure that there is a pathway. It's a very significant company. It's a heavily export-oriented company from the Irish market, and obviously supplies a significant amount of power brought into the grid and in terms of its utilisation.' Burke said he understands that the company is still fully operational, but that 'they are in discussion with Eirgrid and the CRU to find a pathway'. While the Aughinish Alumina plant has no direct link to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, it is owned by Russian metals company Rusal, which was co-founded by Oleg Deripaska. Deripaska, who is still a shareholder in Rusal, is an industrialist who is reported to have had close ties to Russia president Vladimir Putin. In 2018, he was placed on a US sanctions list and the UK government also announced sanctions against the oligarch in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The businessman is well-connected in Russian politics and business, and was pictured earlier this month at the Kremlin in Moscow for a ceremony ahead of World War II commemorations. According to reports, pre-tax losses at Aughinish Alumina in 2023 totalled €108 million, down from losses of €141 million the previous year. Earlier this month, a bomb was discovered attached to a fuel tank that services the refinery . The bomb is believed to have included a battery-timed mechanism so that it could be detonated long after the perpetrators had left the area. It's understood that up to 100 staff at the refinery were unable to leave the plant while a 350-metre security cordon was in place at the scene for several hours. The area where the bomb was found is located close to a publicly accessible nature walking trail. Gardaí investigating the incident are examining many lines of enquiry, including the possibility that the bomb may have been a direct response to Russian missile attacks in Kyiv carried out at the time. In February 2022 Gardaí launched an investigation into criminal damage at the entrance to Aughinish Alumina which was daubed with slogans in red paint, similar in nature to protests at Russian embassies around the world at Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

The Journal
18 hours ago
- The Journal
Department of Finance clarifies hospitality VAT cut would cost less than €1bn mooted by Minister
A SPOKESPERSON FOR the Minister for Finance has clarified that the cost of reducing the VAT rate for hospitality would be less than the €1bn figure mooted by the minister earlier this week. At €1bn, the cost would equate to two-thirds of the total €1.5bn available to the government for tax cuts in this year's Budget. On Tuesday, during a press conference on the Summer Economic Statement, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe told reporters that the one-year cost for reducing the hospitality VAT rate to 9% for restaurants and hotels would be between €950mn and €1bn. However, later in the press conference, he said he would need to clarify if that figure did include hotels. A spokesperson for the minister told The Journal today that, based on CSO data, the total one-year cost for restaurants and hotels is actually €810mn. Advertisement This is split €675mn for restaurants and cafes and €135mn for hotels. The cost for hairdressers would be an additional €40mn. Meanwhile, the Tax Strategy Papers published this afternoon by the government highlight that it is possible to change the VAT rate for one of these groups without changing the other. However, it said the principle of fiscal neutrality requires universal application within the same sector. This means that if accommodation stayed at 13.5% it would have to include all accommodation services, including B&Bs and small hotels. While the Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has again stressed today that he is in favour of reducing the VAT rate, Donohoe stressed earlier this week that no decisions have yet been made. 'The exact component of what the tax package will be and the other tax measures that will be in it, I can't answer that question until Budget day,' Donohoe said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal


Irish Examiner
20 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Scam texts up by 150% this month, says AIB
Phone users have been warned of a surge in fraudulent text messages, with the number of scam texts rising as 150% last month, according to AIB. Many of the texts purport to come from legitimate businesses and state bodies, with some claiming to be from MyGov and MyAccount. The messages come despite recent legal changes implemented by ComReg aimed at curbing the scam text scourge, which mean business-to-person unregistered SMS Sender IDs are modified to 'Likely Scam'. However, personal mobile numbers are not included in the updated legislation. "The issue would require an SMS filter for private mobile numbers and this requires legislation, as mentioned in the Programme for Government," a ComReg spokersperson told the Irish Examiner. Thousands of phone users have been targeted by the latest wave of scam texts, with banks including AIB urging customers to be on the lookout. Increasing numbers of fraudulent text messages asking the recipient to call a phone number. "AIB has detected a significant rise in the number of customers receiving fraudulent text messages claiming to be from the bank this week. The messages have contributed to a 150% increase in July on the number of fraudulent messages sent in June," said an AIB statement. "Following recent changes by ComReg, they are now predominantly coming from unregistered mobile numbers. And these messages often reference other legitimate company names who are in no way connected to the scam," said a statement from AIB. "Customers are being tricked into thinking their accounts are compromised and asked to move their money to another financial institution for safekeeping." AIB head of financial crime Mary McHugh said: "Take a moment to ask yourself, 'could this be a scam?'. That's why you should wait a sec and double check, and never move your money to another account after receiving a call or text claiming to be us." Meanwhile Revenue said phishing emails, texts and phone calls seeking personal information are "increasingly common". "Revenue never contacts customers in such a manner, and never seeks personal information such as bank account details via phone call, SMS text message or email. Anyone who receives a suspicious or questionable phone call, text message or email purporting to be from Revenue is advised to end the call or delete the communication immediately."