“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...
ISME Pre-Budget Submission calls for urgent action on costs, red tape and insurance
ISME, the Irish SME Association, has today launched its Pre-Budget Submission, setting out a comprehensive set of proposals across five key policy areas to support small businesses and the Irish economy. The submission warns that rising business costs, red tape,...
ISME Urges Measured EU Response to US Tariffs Amid Concerns for Irish SMEs
ISME (the Irish SME Association) is calling for a strategic and balanced response from the EU to the tariffs announced this week by the US in order to protect Irish business interests and avoid unnecessary economic harm. Government met with...
Serious cause concern for SME’s arising from Personal Injuries Claims
ISME make recommendations in response to a system out of control The news from the Central Bank this week that almost 70% of personal injuries claims are going through litigation is shocking but is not surprising to business...
ISME Calls for Urgent Defamation Law Reform to Protect SMEs
Irish courts handle more defamation cases than the entire UK ISME (Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association) has called on the Government to strengthen the Defamation Amendment Bill to provide meaningful protections for small businesses and citizens against costly and...
