SOME big news around town this week was obviously the opening of ISME's plush new offices in Kildare Street. Richard Bruton did the honours. Also in attendance were Fianna Fail's Seamus Brennan and a good turnout of the organisation's members.

Preparations are well advanced for ISME's annual conference, which is being held next weekend in Killarney. Last year, the small business lobby group was none too pleased when RTE cameras panned around the hotel car park, showing plenty of big BMWs and Mercs, evidence, it seemed, of the healthy profit margins. But the Margin can completely refute speculation that the organisation is hiring a fleet of Ford Fiestas for its members this year.