Tax, technology and economic experts recently sat down at an Irish Internet Association (IIA) event to discuss Ireland’s latest budget, with entrepreneurs let down, in particular, according to Joan Mulvihill, CEO of the IIA.
Mulvihill likened the budget to a Christmas where “everybody knows what they are getting in advance, and everyone is getting socks”.
“It’s generally positive. The only people left disappointed were the innovating entrepreneurs, with the exception of some reference to Knowledge Box.
Economist Constantin Gurdgiev was even less enthused, calling Budget 2016 a “blanket bombing of a vulnerable electorate”.
Other criticisms included a lack of incentive to work in start-ups, no infrastructure for start-ups in the first place and little general entrepreneurial encouragement, with smaller companies’ inability to finance significant consultancy fees a particular point overlooked by Government.
Words by Gordon Hunt