Representatives from over 400 small and large businesses gathered at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday (9 March) for Business Connect, an event providing a platform for small firms to learn how they can win contracts with larger firms and deliver value.

The event, now in its fifth year, is designed as a marketplace to give delegates a window into the decision making and purchasing processes of Ireland's leading companies.

Speaking at the event, Graham Byrne, chairman of the Small Firms Association (SFA) and CEO of Flender, said Irish indigenous businesses were "the backbone of the Irish economy", with small businesses representing half of private-sector employment in Ireland.

Small businesses also account for 99% of all businesses located in Ireland, with 92% of them being 'micro' businesses with 10 or fewer employees.

"Today’s Business Connect event offers small companies and suppliers’ valuable insights from procurement experts in large companies, State agencies and the financial sector on how to navigate and secure a large indigenous or multinational B2B customer," Byrne added.

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Byrne added that the sector faced many challenges emerging from the pandemic, with many still dependent on government supports for liquidity, and called on the government and the Revenue to deal with tax warehousing in a "pragmatic way".

Figures from the Revenue showed some 105,000 businesses with combined tax debts of €3.2bn were availing of warehousing in January, with the scheme having been extended for qualifying businesses late last year.

"In addition, the green agenda is not one which the small business community should shy away from. It is well established that we are the innovators – and what better opportunity for innovation than the green economy. Small businesses will meet the challenge head on," Byrne said. 

"But with challenges also come opportunities – we are open and trading, which is a sea change from where we were when I addressed you last year."

Photo: Sven Spollen-Behrens, SFA Director; Graham Byrne, SFA Chair and CEO of Flender; Frank Gleeson, Ibec President and CEO ARAMARK Northern Europe; Sue O'Neill, Chair of the SFA Awards Judging Panel. (Pic: Lensman)