Small and medium firms will create 84,000 jobs this year, the chairman of the Small Firms' Association (SFA), Mr Kieran Crowley, said yesterday. He said the growth in jobs in the sector was being fuelled by a desire by people to take control of their own working lives.

He was speaking at a function to announce details of Enterprise Ireland, a major exhibition which is to be held in Dublin next month, which could lead to the establishment of up to 5,000 new businesses. The event will run from October 1st-3rd in RDS Simmonscourt.