THE Small Firms Association has called on the Government to begin negotiations with the banks for a new soft loan scheme for small businesses. The SFA said the two earlier soft loan schemes had been an outstanding success, with the initial £100 million scheme from ICC three times over subscribed and the current £210 million scheme already oversubscribed.

SFA director, Mr Brendan Butler, said the original ICC scheme assisted 572 firms and 3,676 additional jobs were created. No figures are yet available for the current scheme, but Mr Butler said that 36,000 additional jobs were created by small firms in 1995 while 43,000 new jobs will be created in 1996.

The SEA has also expressed concern at a number of "scams" which are currently in operation, including the infamous scam involving "members of the Nigerian upper crust seeking details of Irish firms' bank accounts and signatures". Another scam in operation includes a chain letter asking business people to forward their business card to a British child who is "terminally ill".