Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) dominate the Irish economic landscape, accounting for a significant percentage of business enterprises in the private business economy; they employ 1.06m people, accounting for 68.4% of employment in the private business economy[1] As Covid-19 receded, recovery was strongest among small businesses, with tax receipts from SMEs increasing by 80% compared to 2020. However, having bounced back from the pandemic, SMEs are under pressure due to challenges such as rising energy, transport and operational costs. The SME community is bracing itself for a difficult working environment if costs continue to increase. Irish business owners are feeling the impact of rising costs, according to the Enterprise Nation Quarterly Small Business Barometer, with 71% of entrepreneurs saying that the crisis would “reduce the profitability” or “severely reduce the profitability” of their businesses this year.