| Mixed Results in Business and Banking Survey By Enterprise Boards |
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| Wednesday, 02 March 2011 17:16 |
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37% of the small businesses surveyed expected turnover to be better over the next six months, when compared with the June to December period last year. On the other hand, 23% of respondents expected turnover to be worse over the same period. Meanwhile, the number of business owners who feel that the current business environment was either poor or very poor, remains largely unchanged from last year at 53%. Commenting on the survey results, Tomas Hayes from the County and City Enterprise Boards said: "It's clear from this survey that we need to improve the overall business environment for Ireland's small business sector. To do this, we need additional enterprise support resources at a local level, to encourage and foster our indigenous sector, creating more sustainable jobs in every region." When asked about availability of credit, only 4% of those surveyed felt that access to credit had improved over the last six months, while 37% felt that availability of credit had worsened over the same period. On the same issue of credit, there was a high level of demand reported for a small business loan scheme concept, proposed by the County and City Enterprise Boards.71% of respondents felt that such a scheme, to provide loans of up to €20,000 to support working capital needs, would be both "helpful and desirable." The Business and Banking Confidence Survey was carried out last month by the thirty-five County and City Enterprise Boards around the country , which provide an advice, mentoring and information service to new start-ups and micro-enterprises. The survey was administered and compiled by the CEB Central Co-Ordination Unit of Enterprise Ireland and the full set of findings are available to download at www.enterpriseboards.ie .
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Expectations for 'better' turnover but availability of credit still an issue. A third of small businesses expect turnover to be better over next six months, and yet over half rate the current business environment as "poor" or "very poor," highlighting that access to credit is still a worrying issue for Ireland's small business community. Those are amongst the findings published on February 25th by the County and City Enterprise Boards as part of their bi-annual Business and Banking Confidence survey, which included the views of over 1,200 sole traders and small business owners throughout the country.
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