Peadar Tóibín
Question:602. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will continue the trading online voucher scheme in 2016. [43768/15]
View answerTuesday, 8 December 2015
Questions (602, 603, 604)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:603. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of applications for the trading online voucher scheme; and the number of vouchers awarded in 2015 to date. [43769/15]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:604. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the policies he has introduced in 2015 to encourage and increase the number of indigenous micro businesses and small businesses trading online. [43770/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 to 604, inclusive, together.
The Government’s National Digital Strategy (NDS) recognises the importance of enabling all citizens and businesses to realise the full social and economic potential of the digital world. My Department’s Trading Online Voucher Scheme, which was launched nationally on 1 July 2014, is a key initiative under the enterprise strand of the NDS and the Action Plan for Jobs.
The scheme, which is administered in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEO), offers financial assistance of up to €2,500, coupled with training, mentoring and networking supports by the LEOs to small and micro enterprises to develop their trading online presence. Applications are received directly by individual LEOs who award the vouchers to qualifying businesses, following evaluation by an expert panel.
Trading Online Vouchers are activating small businesses from across a wide range of sectors including, retail, manufacturing, professional services, food, craft/design, tourism and leisure. By November 2015, some 1,500 businesses had completed, or were in the process of completing, their trading online projects. In addition, it is estimated that more than double that number of businesses have benefitted from advice and peer-to-peer support through their participation in the information sessions delivered by the LEOs. The roll-out of vouchers to reach the initial target of 2,000 continues nationwide.
In July last, I published a report into the enterprise impacts of the scheme which is available on my Department’s website at www.dcenr.ie. The report revealed that businesses that moved online experienced an average increase in sales of 21%. Some 40% of businesses had customer interactions from new markets overseas, and over 70% of businesses surveyed expect to recruit new staff. With the potential creation of an average 1.4 new jobs per company – in businesses that employ ten staff or less – trading online is making a tangible impact on jobs and economic activity in Ireland.
The Government is committed to rolling out the scheme to more interested businesses, and to this end, I have allocated funding of €3 million to deliver an additional 1,000 vouchers in 2016.