Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise and Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, has today welcomed the publication of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council report on Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge.
 
She urged the government to act on the recommendations to support SMEs. 
 
Speaking today, Teachta O’Reilly said:
 
“It is welcome that the NCPC have brought forward the publication of this report as it will give time for the measures to be incorporated into the budget. 
 
“I particularly welcome the recommendations regarding the need to give certainty to the SME sector and the need to invest in supporting SMEs to utilise technology to a greater extent. 
 
“We have been raising the need for access to digitisation for the SME sector with the department and the need for Ireland to become an innovation leader in this space. The recommendations support this view and we need to see action from government on this. This must include the setting of targets for digitisation, as well as a focused engagement with the relevant stakeholders to ensure delivery and take up.
 
“The Commission recommends that the government be ‘ambitious’ in supporting the take up of advanced technologies, including AI, by SMEs in particular and it is essential that the government act on this and on the recommendations.  Given that one third of SMEs lack basic levels of digital intensity, we can see that there is scope there for improvements and this must be included in the government’s response to this report.
 
“The report further highlights the challenges faced by inadequacies in the infrastructure underpinning our public utilities – this is an issue that Sinn Féin have consistently raised and one which causes uncertainty for businesses looking to expand.  It is essential that the deficits are addressed so that planning for the future and for future investment can be done with certainty.”