CV69 2026 | Page 13

News 13

INTERNATIONAL MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES DAY: RECOGNISING THE IMPACT OF CONSTRUCTION MSMES

Each year, International Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises( MSME) Day, 27th June, highlights the critical role smaller businesses play in driving employment, innovation and economic growth.

In Ireland’ s construction sector, MSMEs make up a significant proportion of the industry, and supporting their resilience and growth is essential to the sector’ s future. The CIF provides practical supports, representation and expertise to help MSMEs navigate an increasingly complex operating environment.

CIF CEO Andrew Brownlee said:“ Construction SMEs are the backbone of the sector, delivering the homes and infrastructure that communities across Ireland need. In fact 91 % of CIF’ s members are small and medium enterprises. This International MSME Day, we’ d like to acknowledge the work of these companies as they deliver vital construction projects to support local communities and the wider economy.

“ We know from talking to our SME members that they face significant pressures, managing rising costs, workforce development, an increasingly complex regulatory environment, and the need to go digital. Construction SMEs also face a unique set of challenges, with many being owner-manager led, overseeing busy workloads in a high-demand environment and juggling day-to-day operations, while actively and successfully delivering projects. Despite this, they continue to show remarkable resilience, adapting to change, finding solutions and consistently stepping up to deliver for their clients and communities.

“ We’ d encourage all construction SMEs to get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you meet your business needs. CIF has a wide range of practical, accessible supports designed to help SMEs manage day-to-day operations. We provide training and upskilling programmes, health and safety support and training, HR and employment guidance, procurement and tendering support, information on regulatory updates, support for digitalisation and innovation, and networking and peer learning opportunities at regional and national level. As the voice of Ireland’ s construction sector, we continue to bring the needs of SMEs to the attention of Government and policy-makers.”