Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
463. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the take-up rate of action 78 of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014, relating to the distribution of 1,000 trading online vouchers in 2014 in tabular form; the take-up rate by region; the take-up rate by type of business; the number of applications by which the scheme was oversubscribed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28814/14]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, I announced the nationwide availability of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme on 1 July last. Building on the successful pilot conducted in Dublin earlier this year, the Scheme was scaled up and opened for applications in Counties Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Louth, Sligo and Waterford in recent months. The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) are our key delivery partners in implementing this Scheme and are in the process of awarding vouchers to qualifying companies in these areas.
Under the national rollout, 1,000 vouchers are being made available for qualifying businesses through the network of 31 LEOs between now and the end of 2014 with at least 1,000 more on offer next year. The Government has allocated €5 million for the rollout of the Scheme and businesses will be able to apply for grants of up to €2,500 to help them trade online.
Details of the numbers and nature of companies availing of the vouchers in each county or LEO area will become available as vouchers are awarded over the coming months.
