Press Representation and Lobbying

In addition to its services to members, one of ISME's major roles is to continually raise a wide range of issues relating to business competitiveness directly with Government Departments, Institutions and the Media. For further details on ISME Press, Representation and Lobbying click on the links above.

ISME Representational Achievements

Ireland
We have held regular meetings with senior Government Ministers and Officials, and opposition party spokespeople on SME business issues throughout the year.
The ISME national campaign on the difficulties small business were having in accessing finance and cash flow management resulted in €350m of EIB money being made available for lending to SMEs.
Other ISME lobbying results are as follows:
1. Legally binding Code of Conduct on Banks’ Business Lending published;
2. The Government made the recapitalised banks commit to increasing lending capacity to SMEs by 10% in the recapitalisation agreement.
3. Secured €350m from European Investment bank for SME lending.
4. Central Government paying its own bills within 15 days.
5. The Mazars report on SME Bank lending and Independent Review of Business Lending was commissioned and published.
6. Credit Supply Clearing Group (on which ISME is represented) was established to monitor ongoing trends and ensure the situation improved.
7. Secured the establishment of the Credit Review Agency to hear appeals on individual Bank Credit applications.
8. Successful in getting delayed Redundancy Rebates to be directly offset against tax liabilities.
9. Lobbied for and secured a 20% Reduction in Revenue Commissioners late payment penalty interest.
10. First to raise the issue publicly of PRSI exemptions for SME owners re-employing people made redundant in the past year, which was announced in the Budget.
11. Lobbied intensively for reform of the public sector including the introduction of pay cuts and employee numbers.
12. Successfully lobbied to allow business to business transactions in the Small Claims Court.
13. The Association successfully lobbied for the introduction of water charges for domestic consumers to alleviate the cost to business.
14. Successfully lobbied for a reduction in energy costs to business.

Submissions
In 2009 ISME made a number of submissions to relevant Government Departments and State Agencies, including the following:
1. Submission to the Department of Finance on the Supplementary Budget in April 2009
2. ISME Pre-Budget 2010 Submission
3. Submission to the Catering Joint Labour Commission in reference to article C. (exD) (2008 NO. 1). This resulted in the JLC being reviewed and a reduction in the Sunday premium,
4. Submission to the National Consumer Agency in reference Directive on Consumer Rights, which resulted in the 28 day rule being reinstated.

European
ISME is a full member of the European Representative organisation for SME business, UEAPME, and engage actively with their lobbying agenda in the EU.

ISME Prebudget Submission 2013

Download 2013 Pre Budget Submission