Written answers

Thursday, 17 December 2020

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Trading Online Voucher Scheme

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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246. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the operation and eligibility criteria of the 2020 trading online voucher scheme; the breakdown of the allocation and number of recipients by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44198/20]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is managed by my Department and delivered nationwide in partnership with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Enterprise Ireland, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) and Údarás na Gaeltachta. The Scheme offers advice and peer-to-peer support and a grant of up to €2,500 to help small and micro-businesses to develop their ecommerce capability. To be eligible to apply under the Scheme an applicant business must have a limited online trading presence; 10 or less employees; turnover of less than €2m;and must be trading for at least 6 months.

The Scheme was launched nationally in mid-2014. By end 2019, some 6,400 small and micro businesses had completed, or were in the process of completing their trading online projects. In addition, 19,000 or so business owners-managers had benefitted from advice and peer-to-peer support through their participation in the information seminars delivered by the LEOs under the Scheme.

In response to Covid-19, funding for the Scheme in 2020 was increased from €2.3m to €39.8m, and new flexibilities were introduced including reducing the requirement for co-funding and allowing businesses to apply for a second voucher where they have successfully utilised their first one.

The table below outlines the number of applications received and applications approved under the Scheme by the LEOs over the period 1 January to 9 December 2020, and value of such approvals.

Trading Online Voucher Scheme - 1 January 2020 to 9 December 2020

LEOs Applications received Applications Approved Value of Approvals

Carlow 189 155 347,190
Cavan 189 146 348,632
Clare 395 381 952,500
Cork City 606 507 1,193,952
Cork N/W 494 440 1,021,564
South Cork 622 473 1,108,844
Donegal 508 437 1,054,242
Dublin City 1,227 1,051 2,545,878
South Dublin 1,199 594 1,485,000
Dun Laoghaire 746 713 1,617,041
Fingal 849 746 1,743,524
Galway 1,116 608 1,520,000
Kerry 636 451 1,041,270
Kildare 639 592 1,387,863
Kilkenny 302 282 655,660
Laois 235 162 377,468
Leitrim 175 151 366,831
Limerick 521 444 1,028,656
Longford 131 112 266,040
Louth 408 320 761,264
Mayo 423 411 932,669
Meath 651 416 991,685
Monaghan 147 122 284,818
Offaly 164 132 314,038
Roscommon 226 222 519,139
Sligo 289 267 623,891
Tipperary 401 340 791,195
Waterford 420 393 916,947
Westmeath 305 257 608,812
Wexford 495 458 1,049,177
Wicklow 472 400 983,761
Total 15,180 12,183 28,839,551

Responsibility for the Scheme will transfer from my Department to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment at the end of the month.

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