Written answers
Thursday, 19 October 2017
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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185. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of funding that his Department plans to allocate to the trading online voucher scheme in 2018. [44325/17]
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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194. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the number of small businesses supported by the trading online voucher scheme has declined in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44498/17]
Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 194 together.
The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is a demand-led scheme which aims to deliver 1,000 businesses trading online each year with minor fluctuations in throughput expected in a demand-led scheme. The scheme has the flexibility to approve applications in excess of the target, should the demand exist.
The following table gives a breakdown on an annual basis of the number of businesses that have been approved for a Trading Online Voucher under the scheme.
| Year | No. of Vouchers Approved by Local Enterprise Offices |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 593 |
| 2015 | 1,184 |
| 2016 | 1,154 |
| 2017 to end Sept | 881 |
The lower output in 2014 was due to the commencement of the scheme in July 2014. The scheme is on target to deliver a further 1,000 businesses trading online by the end of 2017. In addition, over 9,000 businesses have so far benefited from training and mentoring under the scheme.
€3 million in funding has been allocated for the continuation of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme in 2018.
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