ISME calls on Government to consider supports for SMEs amid ongoing fuel cost crisis
ISME has today called on the Government to consider alleviating the impact of fuel price increases as a result of the war in the Middle East and to develop contingency plans to support already stretched small and medium-sized businesses across...
Business and labour costs top of SME concerns
ISME has published the results of its latest member survey identifying the priority issues facing SMEs in 2026, with business costs and labour costs overwhelmingly dominating concerns. At 78% of respondents, business costs rank as the single biggest issue facing...
ISME warns delay to Mercosur trade deal risks real economic harm to Irish exporters
ISME has warned that delaying the EU-Mercosur trade agreement risks causing real harm to Ireland’s economy and undermining one of the most significant trade agreements ever negotiated by the EU. ISME expressed strong disappointment at the decision of the European...
ISME warns grid upgrade must not mean higher energy costs for business or consumers
Energy companies are trying to have their cake and eat it ISME has welcomed the announcement by EirGrid and ESB Networks of major investment to upgrade Ireland’s electricity grid, but has warned that the cost of this investment must not...
“Steady but Unambitious” – ISME reacts to Budget 2026
ISME broadly welcomes Budget 2025 as a stable and responsible package that broadly maintains fiscal discipline in uncertain times. Employment remains at a record high level, reflecting the resilience of Irish enterprises and workers. However, considerable uncertainty remains, with persistent...
ISME say Budget 2026 must stimulate expansion of domestic businesses
ISME, the Irish SME Association, has warned that Budget 2026 must deliver an ambitious new direction for Ireland’s indigenous enterprise base, saying the Government is “sleepwalking into economic peril” by continuing to rely so heavily on multinational corporation tax receipts....
ISME – A big mistake to plunder the National Training Fund surplus to fund universities.
The fund will be depleted by a sector that has shown very poor financial discipline As we approach Budget 2026, set for Tuesday 7th October, ISME is concerned that the Government is considering diverting some of the National Training...
ISME Survey Shows Most SMEs Avoid Crime, but Repeat Victims Suffer Severe Impacts
Association calls for more Gardaí, tougher sentencing, and better use of CCTV to deter offenders Findings from ISME’s Business Crime Survey 2025 reveal that 64% of Irish SMEs were unaffected by crime in the past 12 months, a result that...
ISME calls for Budget 2026 to cure Ireland’s Dutch Disease
Irish enterprise is being left behind as the Government doubles down on its dependence on foreign direct investment ISME has welcomed the Summer economic Statement from Government, but said a far greater focus on indigenous enterprise will be required to...
‘Indefensible’ injury award hike will further line legal pockets
Minister Jim O’Callaghan planning to write big cheque for the legal sector ISME, the Irish SME Association, has strongly criticised Government proposals to raise personal injury awards by 17%, warning that such a move would take money directly from small...
