National Enterprise Week this year should highlight the desperate need for people and banks to support small enterprises and businesses.

Every small village and town in Ireland is made up of small businesses and small enterprises. There are very few big factories employing hundreds in these towns and that is why it is so important that these small business and enterprises are economically supported.

Overdrafts are being cut, loan term agreements are being reviewed and small businesses are trying to compete in a difficult environment while still managing to make a small profit and pay their debts. Small businesses are starved for credit and have been short changed by the Government and their failed refinancing deal with the banks.

There were wild promises made that credit would be made available after NAMA took over and after we gave the banks €12 billion of taxpayers money. Enough is enough. We have a mountain of empty promises from this government. There are businesses throughout Cork closing down and letting valuable staff go because they can’t get sufficient overdraft facilities and proper loan terms.

National Enterprise Week was established to highlight and promote the spirit of entrepreneurship among business people in Ireland but how can we do this if we consistently tell our business people that we don’t care about them and won’t ensure they are supported. Maybe this year we should focus on the banks and teach them the value of our small businesses to everyone and the true spirit of entrepreneurship.