Written answers
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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506. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if each application to the trading online voucher scheme for businesses impacted by Covid-19 will be fully honoured; the amount granted under the scheme to date against original allocation; the number of applications to date by county; the number approved and not approved, respectively by county; the value of approved applications by county; the number of applicants that have received and not received, respectively funding to date; and if additional funding will be required to meet the demand for the scheme. [10463/20]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is funded by my Department and delivered nationwide in partnership with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Enterprise Ireland, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices and Údarás na Gaeltachta. The Scheme offers skills training, mentoring and a grant of up to €2,500 to help small and micro-businesses to develop their ecommerce capability.New flexibilities to the Scheme were introduced in April 2020 including reducing the requirement for co-funding from 50% to 10% and allowing businesses to apply for a second voucher of up to €2,500 where they have successfully utilised their first one. In addition funding for the Scheme was increased from €2.3m to €5.6m. There has been a positive response to these changes and significant uptake of the Scheme.
On 8 June the Government announced additional funding of €14.2m for the Scheme, bringing the total funding allocation in 2020 to €19.8m. This additional funding will allow LEOs and Údarás na Gaeltachta to approve additional vouchers to successful applicants.
The table below sets out the current position and is informed by the most up to date information received by my Department from the individual LEOs
| LEO | Allocation for 2020 as of January 2020 | Allocation for 2020 as of 8 June 2020 | Vouchers approved to 29 May 2020* | Completed applications not yet approved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlow | 13 | 98 | 38 | 40 |
| Cavan | 18 | 73 | 33 | 6 |
| Clare | 30 | 170 | 35 | 44 |
| Cork City | 32 | 367 | 52 | 154 |
| Cork N&W | 40 | 340 | 78 | 52 |
| Cork South | 30 | 345 | 47 | 110 |
| Donegal | 40 | 255 | 65 | 101 |
| Dublin City | 90 | 335 | 88 | 113 |
| Dublin DLR | 50 | 430 | 55 | 160 |
| Dublin Fingal | 50 | 615 | 107 | 260 |
| Dublin South | 50 | 540 | 60 | 250 |
| Galway | 45 | 215 | 95 | 90 |
| Kerry | 44 | 354 | 31 | 140 |
| Kildare | 30 | 160 | 113 | 7 |
| Kilkenny | 29 | 279 | 44 | 50 |
| Laois | 25 | 70 | 30 | 8 |
| Leitrim | 10 | 70 | 10 | 28 |
| Limerick | 30 | 290 | 59 | 153 |
| Longford | 15 | 75 | 26 | 10 |
| Louth | 35 | 235 | 50 | 42 |
| Mayo | 35 | 110 | 35 | 32 |
| Meath | 35 | 390 | 67 | 112 |
| Monaghan | 15 | 60 | 25 | 12 |
| Offaly | 20 | 80 | 21 | 12 |
| Roscommon | 22 | 67 | 32 | 22 |
| Sligo | 19 | 109 | 24 | 35 |
| Tipperary | 30 | 235 | 60 | 122 |
| Waterford | 23 | 148 | 70 | 45 |
| Westmeath | 25 | 150 | 50 | 17 |
| Wexford | 30 | 205 | 65 | 92 |
| Wicklow | 40 | 170 | 70 | 32 |
| Údarás na Gaeltachta | n/a | 160 | n/a | n/a |
| Total | 1000 | 7200 | 1635 | 2351 |
Based on information received from the LEOs covering the period 16 March to 2 June the average value of vouchers approved is €2,355
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