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SFA calls for reopening plan for business
Updated / Friday, 23 Apr 2021
10:32
The Small Firms Association said that businesses are seeking clarity on reopening as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted
The Small Firms Association has urged the Government to publish a reopening plan for business and society as Covid-19 restrictions ease.
SFA Director Sven Spollen-Behrens said that as the country approaches the end of the fourth consecutive month under the toughest restrictions in Europe, small firms are seeking clarity on reopening. Business owners need a timely, practical, and realistic plan for when they can welcome back customers and employees to the office, Sven Spollen-Behrens stated.
Updated / Friday, 16 Apr 2021
15:44
The potential departure of KBC Bank Ireland from the Irish market will add to the anxiety of SMEs
The Small Firms Association has said the potential departure of KBC Bank Ireland from the Irish market would add to the anxiety of small business owners in their efforts to access finance to re-open post-pandemic.
The director of the SFA Sven Spollen-Behrens told the Claire Byrne show that access to finance and loans is critical to small businesses, who would be seeking liquidity and working capital loans.
Mr Spollen-Behrens said that the lack of competition is a real concern as SME lending costs in Ireland are two-and-a-half times higher than the eurozone average.
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