The Green Party says it will create a vibrant Irish enterprise economy if elected by helping businesses find and train suitably employees, lowering audit requirements and cutting employers' PRSI.
Speaking at the unveiling of the party's Green Party and Small Businesses: Working Togetherpolicy document today, Enterprise Trade and Employment spokesperson Eamon Ryan said the Government had failed to respond to small businesses.
"We need to develop local enterprises and natural resources rather than relying on foreign investment. The global marketplace is developing in response to the major environmental issues of our day.
"Irish companies should be reacting to this by developing the products and services that will thrive in this new business world. Tourism, food, entertainment, IT and energy are all green industries. Being green is going to give us a major economic advantage," he said.
Green Party Finance spoke person Dan Boyle accused the Government of being unable or unwilling to control runaway inflation.
"For too long land speculators have been favoured by this Government at the expense of small business. It is a myth that the Green Party wants to raise taxes or introduce more red tape for businesses," Mr Boyle said.
"We are committed to cutting taxes on positive activity such as employment, including employers' PRSI, and redistributing the tax burden onto inefficient and unproductive activities," he said.
Mark Dearey, a small business operator and Green Party candidate for Louth, said the policy document "offered real solutions to the daily problems faced by small business people like myself".