Written answers

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

National Digital Strategy Implementation

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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62. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the impact the EU e-commerce action plan will have here; his views on the proportion of Irish on-line sales which go to non-domestic retailers; the way he will assist small businesses to sell more goods on-line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27842/13]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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505. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether Irish firms are not yet fully exploiting the potential of online commerce; the way the situation can be improved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24420/13]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 505 together.

There are a range of measures in the EU Commission’s e-Commerce Action Plan 2012-2015 and these span the areas of responsibility of a number of Departments.

I welcome the focus in the plan on practical actions that will provide more clarity for those trading in the online single market. In particular I believe measures that provide guidance and training for online traders will assist them in providing the levels of service expected by online consumers – which will be beneficial to traders and consumers alike.

In Ireland, Irish consumers spend almost €4bn per annum online – with most of that spend going offshore. Most small businesses in Ireland do not trade online. The proportion of SMEs trading online is estimated to be as low as 23%.

That means many small Irish businesses are being missed by consumers when they go online to source products and services. Those not trading online are also missing out on the opportunity of markets and customers abroad.

That is why we will be focusing in the forthcoming National Digital Strategy on encouraging and assisting more small businesses to do more online and ultimately to trade online. To address this, a set of integrated actions have been identified in the National Digital Strategy and the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs. The objective is to encourage more Irish-based small and medium businesses to become active on-line over the next two years.

As a first step towards this objective we will pilot a voucher scheme that will provide upfront funding for small businesses to help them develop an online trading platform. Beyond the pilot it will be our objective to roll out the scheme nationally aiming to get some 2,000 small businesses trading online over a 12 month period. To add impetus to NDS objectives I appointed David Puttnam as our first national Digital Champion. Working with the Department, he will be engaging with the various sectors – including industry - over the coming months, with a view to driving the digital agenda and specifically pursuing some key goals that will be set out in the National Digital Strategy.

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