The most recent Business Outlook Survey for the first quarter of this year, reveals that 60% of such businesses identified energy prices as the main driver for this increase.53% said the average salary increase in the past 12 months was between 1-5%, while 33% said the average increase was 6% or more.
Mr Mc Gibney said the impact of increasing costs can be seen in the divergence between revenue and profit expectations over the next quarter. "The increase in business costs and particularly energy prices pose a serious challenge that will need to be tackled as the year progresses," he said. 78% of Dublin businesses surveyed said attracting, retaining and upskilling staff was a key priority.