The Clare-based CEO of a retail lobby group is warning that many small businesses are “heading toward a cliff edge”.
With Budget 2026 just around the corner, Retail Excellence is one of a number of organisations concerned over a silent slowdown for businesses, with a crisis not seen here since 2012 looming.
It’s five weeks today to what many would consider one of the more significant budgets in recent times.
The Government has already indicated there will be no one-off cost of living measures included in Budget 2026, that there will have to be a focus on transforming infrastructure and a degree of caution against the backdrop of US tariffs.
Organisations representing small and medium enterprises are warning the government though, that it has to introduce targeted supports for those who’ve already made job cuts, reduced opening hours and negotiated with suppliers, with nowhere else left to turn.
There was a 77% increase in retail insolvencies between July and September last year and the Clare-based CEO of Retail Excellence predicts a similar scenario this year.
Jean McCabe believes that while supporting multinationals in the wake of US tariffs is important, the Government has taken it’s eye off the ball when it comes to the businesses that are the backbone of every town and village in the country.
The Small Firms Association has echoed this concern, saying there’s now a sense of exhaustion and weariness among businesses who’ve weathered the storm through several crises in recent years and now need a bit of breathing space to keep the doors open.
SFA Director David Broderick says a two-pronged approach is needed in the upcoming budget to prevent a silent slowdown for small and medium businesses.
You can listen to the full interview here:
