John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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454. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when funding will be made available to the local enterprise offices for applicants under the online trading vouchers scheme launched by his Department, to encourage e-commerce by small business. [16559/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Trading Online Voucher Scheme, which was launched nationally on 1 July 2014, is a key initiative under the Government’s National Digital Strategy and the Action Plan for Jobs. Funding was made available in my Department's Vote in 2014 and again in 2015 to meet commitments arising under the Scheme. Drawdown of expenditure is made by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the 31 Local Enterprises Offices. The Local Enterprise Offices in turn pay beneficiaries of the Scheme for a portion of expenditure incurred in establishing a meaningful online presence.

The changes in consumption patterns and citizen behaviour that come with the online revolution are affecting all Irish businesses. Irish consumers are now spending more than €6 billion online annually. Yet, less than a third of this spend goes to Irish retailers, and only 23% of small Irish companies have engaged in online sales.

Working in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office network, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme aims to get 2,000 small and micro businesses trading online by the end of this year. The Scheme offers financial assistance of up to €2,500, matched by the qualifying business, for investments in a digital component of their business.

This targeted initiative has the capacity to bring new sustainable jobs to all parts of Ireland: directly for the businesses that participate, and indirectly for those who supply them with expertise, training, hosting and logistics services.

To date, some 900 vouchers have been awarded to small and micro businesses and rollout of the vouchers continues nationwide.