Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Trading Online Voucher Scheme was developed as part the and is one of the key disruptive reforms identified in the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs The aim of the scheme is to encourage small businesses to develop an online trading component to their business in order to access the large and growing online market worldwide.

Vouchers of up to €2,500 (to be matched by own investment) will be made available to businesses through the scheme on a competitive basis. The scheme will be piloted before national rollout. The operational details for the piloting including the administrative arrangements, eligibility criteria and application and monitoring processes are currently being finalised between my Department and the Department of Jobs Enterprise & Innovation. Once they are decided they will be published on my Department's website at . It is envisaged that following the pilot the scheme would be rolled out nationally in 2014, with the aim of supporting 2,000 small businesses or micro enterprises to trade online over a 24 month period.