News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Picture of Dermot Casey, CEO of the Industry Research and Development Group

IRDG launches leadership programme for SMEs

Twelve SMEs will receive an expert programme to sharpen and accelerate innovation and drive business growth from the IRDG's Innovation Skillnet.

Business • 01 Sep

Azets Ireland CEO Neil Hughes said his company's clients are increasingly talking about restructuring and refinancing

Early warnings of severe pressure on SMEs - Azets Ireland

There are early signs that many SMEs are coming under severe financial pressure, according to financial advisory firm Azets Ireland.

Business • 29 Aug

Vodafone Ireland's competition for SMEs to win ad package

Vodafone Ireland's "See Your Business Pitchside" competition (previously Bring Your Business to the Big Screen) has returned.

Business • 18 Aug

For those who did experience crime, anti-social behaviour, vandalism, burglary and phishing attacks were the most common offences.

64% of SMEs unaffected by crime in past 12 months

64% of Irish SMEs were unaffected by crime in the past 12 months, according to new research by ISME.

Business • 12 Aug

Rising input costs and tariffs the biggest risks for SMEs

Rising input costs, tighter access to finance and the impact of tariffs are the biggest risks facing Irish SMEs, new research shows.

Business • 17 Jul

Mark Jordan, CEO of Skillnet Ireland; Denise Lord, MentorsWork, Skillnet Network Manager and David Broderick, Director of the Small Firms Association

MentorsWork invests €6.5m to support SMEs since 2020

MentorsWork, an initiative of Skillnet Ireland in partnership with the Small Firms Association (SFA), celebrates its five-year anniversary this week.

Business • 20 May

The average value of a credit application for new finance was €260,059 last year, up from €185,857 in 2023, today's survey shows

20% of SMEs applied for bank finance last year - survey

A new survey shows that 20% of SMEs applied for bank finance in 2024, an increase from 18% in 2023.

Business • 19 May

Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is to call on the agencies to significantly simplify their policies

Minister to urge agencies to cut red tape for SMEs

Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is to meet with the heads of 19 agencies and offices under his remit to instruct them to reflect on their processes and the obligations they put on small businesses.

Business • 06 May

FraudSMART is partnering with ISME to launch a new fraud awareness campaign for SMEs

Over €17m lost by SMEs through email-related scams

Small and medium-sized businesses have lost over €17m through email-related scams over the past two years, new figures show today.

Business • 10 Apr

Warren Abbey, the CEO of fintech 365 finance

365 finance launches in Irish market to support SMEs

London-based fintech lender 365 finance has announced its entry into the Irish market, marking the first stage of its expansion outside of the UK.

Business • 11 Feb

Rising costs, labour shortages and employee retention are the biggest worries for Irish SMEs

Rising costs biggest concerns among SMEs - survey

Rising costs, labour shortages and employee retention are the most significant concerns for Irish small and medium enterprises (SMEs), according to new research.

Business • 07 Jan

Optimism among SMEs at highest level in over a year

Optimism within the Irish SME sector is at its highest level for over a year, according to the latest SME Confidence Index from non-bank lender Linked Finance.

Business • 05 Dec 24

Jonathan Eustace, from Microsoft Ireland (L) and Martin Wells, managing director at eir evo

Business success linked with SMEs that use AI technology

IT services firm eir evo says new research it has conducted highlights the strong connection between AI adoption, technological integration, and business success among small and medium-sized enterprises.

Business • 24 Oct 24

June Butler, the CEO of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland

Staffing, energy costs biggest worries for SMEs - SBCI

A new survey from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland reveals that access to skilled staff, high energy and transport costs as well as access to finance are the biggest risks identified by Irish SMEs.

Business • 21 Oct 24

36% of men said they had secured funding, compared to 18% of women

Research reveals challenges facing female SME owners

42% of women who are small firm owners say they struggle to balance family and caregiving responsibilities with business, a new study has found.

Business • 24 Sep 24

June Butler, SBCI CEO, Finance Minister Jack Chambers, Ioannis Tsakiris, EIB Vice President and Elliott Griffin, BVP's CEO

New €50m Green Transition Finance product launched

A new finance product aimed at supporting Irish businesses to achieve their green sustainability goals has been launched.

Business • 13 Sep 24

Eimear Byrne ,Country Lead for SD Worx Ireland

SD Worx invests €3m to expand payroll services to SMEs

Payroll and HR solutions provider SD Worx Ireland is investing €3m to expand its payroll offering and roll the service out to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland.

Business • 09 Aug 24

96% of SMES have seen an increase in online sales over the past 12 months, a new survey from PayPal shows

96% of SMEs see increase in online sales - PayPal

Irish small and medium-sized enterprises that sell online appear are seeing a growth period, with 96% seeing an increase in online sales over the past 12 months, a new survey shows.

Business • 04 Jul 24

Eight out of every ten firms said that they have experienced an increase in business costs over the past year

Third of SMEs would shut within 6 months without funding

Just over a third of small and medium sized enterprises here say they would go out of business within six months if they did not get additional funding, a new survey has found.

Business • 31 May 24

Jonas Breding, General Manager for PayPal Northern Europe

PayPal launches new payments solution for Irish SMEs

Online payments company PayPal is today launching PayPal Complete Payments for small and medium enterprises in Ireland.

Business • 30 May 24

Niall O'Grady, the CEO of Linked Finance

Linked Finance hits €300m milestone in lending to SMEs

Non-bank lender Linked Finance said today that it recently passed the milestone of lending over €300m since its launch in 2013.

Business • 28 May 24

Confidence grows amongst small businesses - ACCA

86% of small businesses in the financial sector performed as well as or better than forecast between January and March, new research shows.

Business • 21 May 24

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has welcomed the top up in cash support (Stock image)

Retail, hospitality SMEs to get grants of up to €5,000

Small and medium businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors are to receive grants of up to €5,000 under a new round of the Increased Cost of Business scheme worth €66 million.

Business • 15 May 24

FBD Insurance has launched an ad support package worth a total of €140,000 for seven Irish SMEs around the country

FBD offers €140,000 in advertising support to SMEs

FBD Insurance has today launched an advertising support package worth a total of €140,000 for seven Irish SMEs nationwide.

Business • 07 May 24

The average value of a credit application for new finance from the SME sector last year was €186,000

88% of SMEs who sought bank finance secured funds

The Department of Finance's latest SME Credit Demand Survey shows that of the SMEs that applied for bank finance in 2023, 88% had their application accepted, with 11% denied and 1% still awaiting approval.

Business • 25 Apr 24

Smes