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New Survey Evidence on COVID-19 and Irish SMEs: Measuring the Impact and Policy Response

Author

Listed:
  • Conor O'Toole

    (ESRI)

  • Fergal McCann

    (Central Bank of Ireland)

  • Martina Lawless

    (ESRI)

  • Janez Kren

    (ESRI)

  • John McQuinn

    (Central Bank of Ireland)

Abstract

In this paper, we use new survey data on the Irish SME population to trace out the impact of the pandemic on revenues, firms’ capacity to adjust their cost base and their usage of policy supports. Over 70 per cent of firms experienced some fall in turnover with a median fall of 25 per cent. The impact of the shock appears uncorrelated with past firm performance which highlights its exogenous nature. Expenditure fell by 8.5 per cent on average with 40 per cent of firms cutting spending. Losses were incurred in over 30 per cent of enterprises with a further 30 per cent just breaking even. We find that about 61 per cent of SMEs received wage subsidies, 20 per cent of firms used tax warehousing while fewer than 6 per cent of firms used lending initiatives. Policy support take-up is more likely among those more affected by the downturn, while the smallest firms appear less likely to use support than larger firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Conor O'Toole & Fergal McCann & Martina Lawless & Janez Kren & John McQuinn, 2021. "New Survey Evidence on COVID-19 and Irish SMEs: Measuring the Impact and Policy Response," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 52(2), pages 107-138.
    • Handle: RePEc:eso:journl:v:52:y:2021:i:2:p:107-138
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    Cited by:

    1. McCann, Fergal & McGeever, Niall, 2022. "Enterprise policy issues for distressed businesses following the unwinding of pandemic supports," Financial Stability Notes 9/FS/22, Central Bank of Ireland.
    2. Cantillon, Leona & Gargan, Eric & Kren, Janez & Lawless, Martina & O'Toole, Conor, 2022. "Recent trends in SME investment in Ireland: exploring the pandemic and barriers to growth," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number SUSTAT113.
    3. Kren, Janez & Lawless, Martina & O'Toole, Conor, 2021. "Cost of doing business during COVID-19: SME investment in public health compliance," Papers WP701, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    4. Aedin Doris & Donal O'Neill & Olive Sweetman, 2022. "The Introduction of a Living Wage in Ireland," Economics Department Working Paper Series n316-22.pdf, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    5. Kren, Janez & Lawless, Martina & McGuinness, Gerard & O'Toole, Conor, 2022. "SME Financial Distress and the Macroeconomic Recovery: A Microsimulation Approach," Papers WP718, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    6. Lambert, Derek & McGeever, Niall & O'Brien, Eoghan, 2022. "Wage subsidy utilisation by Irish companies," Financial Stability Notes 8/FS/22, Central Bank of Ireland.
    7. Jessica Birkholz & Jarina Kühn & Mariia Shkolnykova, 2022. "Exploration or Exploitation: Innovation Behavior of SMEs and Large Firms during the COVID-19 Crisis," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2203, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    8. Kren, Janez & O'Toole, Conor, 2024. "What drives SME investment in digitalisation? Micro-data evidence for Ireland," Papers WP777, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; SMEs; Ireland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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