A number of businesses have had to shut their doors due to a rise in costs.
The Enterprise Minister says he's trying to 'kill the disease' of small business closures in the midlands.
The region is seeing a growing list of businesses shutting their doors for the final time, with Jasmine in Mullingar, and Centrepoint Autos and Behan's Fruit and Veg in Athlone among the most recent.
A number of those have cited rising costs as the reason behind the closure.
Minister for Enterprise, Longford Westmeath TD, Peter Burke says, he's intent on improving the trade environment for midlands businesses:
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