On 20 September, SFA Assistant Director, Linda Barry, and members of the SFA National Council met with Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD.

The meeting centred around the SFA’s four priorities for Budget 2018:

1. Increase the self-employed Earned Income Tax Credit to €1650 to equal the PAYE tax credit
2. Introduce a workable share-based remuneration scheme for employees of small firms
3. Increase the lifetime limit for CGT Entrepreneur Relief to €15 million
4. Increase capital expenditure to 4% of GDP per annum

In each case, the Council members explained to the Tánaiste and her advisors how the issue impacts on their own business and other small firms.

Other issues raised by the SFA included small firm access to public procurement, visas and work permit issues, member experiences of interacting with the Local Enterprise Offices and Brexit.

The SFA delegation also presented the Tánaiste with a copy of the SFA’s ‘Vision for small firms in Ireland’.

The Tánaiste assured the delegation that she wants to keep in close contact with the SFA on all of the issues affecting small business. If there are issues that you would like us to raise with government on your behalf, contact Linda Barry, SFA Assistant Director, on linda.barry@sfa.ie or 01 605 1626.