SFA warns on jobs losses

The Small Firms' Association (SFA) has warned that 2003 is on target to be a record year for redundancies with prospects for new jobs "very negative."

SFA director Pat Delaney said that new job creation by small firms this year will be more than 50 per cent down on last year.

He said 8,163 had been lost in the sector this year and 2003 is now on target for record sector lay-offs.