Given the recent exchange rate volatility, energy costs and rising inflation, it would be understandable if small firms were nervous about the year ahead. Not so, according to the Small Firms Association (SFA). Small businesses remain confident despite worsening economic indicators, the body said this week. The SFA claims in its spring economic statement that while the general outlook for the Irish economy has worsened, small business owner-managers continue to remain confident about their own business development prospects. In a recent survey undertaken by the association, 72pc of members expected to grow their business in 2008, with only 4pc expecting a decline (24pc expected to stay the same); whilst 51pc were less confident about the prospects for the economy generally.

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