Helping small businesses

Green Party outlines policies to:

• Legislate against existing upward-only rent reviews
• Reduce commercial rates
• Extend Employer Job Incentive scheme
• Introduce certainty of payment
• Amend bankruptcy laws

The Green Party today set out its policies aimed at helping small business owners. The Greens would legislate against upward-only rent reviews for existing leases, reduce commercial rates, extend the job employer scheme and amend bankruptcy laws.

Green Party Enterprise spokesperson Mark Dearey said: “Small and medium enterprises are the lifeblood on which our economic recovery depends. This recession has wiped out hundreds of small businesses all over Ireland. We must help small businesses to carry on through this recession, via legislation, incentives and support schemes.”

Senator Dearey, who owns the Spirit Store, a well-known pub and music venue in Dundalk added: “I run my own business and know exactly what challenges are being faced everyday by business owners and entrepreneurs. The next Government must support SMEs, to maintain and create jobs and support our local economies.”

In its small business policy paper, the Green Party proposes to:

Legislate against existing upward-only rent reviews

Senator Dearey said: “Many are struggling under expensive leases, dating back to boom times. We will legislate to ensure business owners can negotiate lower rents under existing leases, which so far, are not covered by the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act. We will also establish a public database which profiles letting agreements and rent reviews in the market.

Reduce commercial rates

Senator Dearey said: “Commercial rates are crippling small businesses. We must take the emphasis away from businesses that create employment and spread the cost of running local services among local people. By introducing fair and equitable domestic water and property charges, we can reduce commercial rates and free up valuable liquidity.”

Extend Employer Job Incentive

Senator Dearey said: “We would also seek to extend the Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme beyond the 128,000 business it currently covers. We will carry out a review of the effectiveness of Employment Subsidy Scheme with a view to examining its reintroduction.”

Introduce certainty of payment

Senator Dearey said: “The Seanad is currently looking at the Construction Contracts Bill to give sub-contractors certainty of payment and certainty of timing. We want to ensure this is passed in Government along with a system of payment dispute resolution.

Amend bankruptcy laws

Senator Dearey said: “The optimum period of twelve years is too long a time to be declared bankrupt in Ireland. It does not allow entrepreneurs to get back on their feet and start again. We wish to amend our law and reduce business bankruptcy to the UK equivalent, which is one year.”