COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 09, 2015

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Chief Executive to mount an information campaign, through the Local Enterprise Office, to better promote the ‘Online Trading Voucher Scheme’ among small businesses and retailers in our County?

REPLY:

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources introduced the On Line Trading Voucher Scheme to help small businesses through the availability of digital vouchers to help their businesses trade online.

The Local Enterprise Office’s were chosen as an ideal partner to deliver the trading online voucher scheme, as they are focussed on getting business supports directly into the communities where small businesses operate. The vouchers are promoted through the LEO website, our projects with the Chamber and all clients are made aware of the Scheme. The ongoing retail forums will provide further promotion opportunities.

The Pilot voucher scheme demonstrated that it has the potential to open up a whole new customer base for the LEO service, bringing them closer to businesses in their area and allowing businesses to benefit from locally based experience.

The Local Enterprise Office South Dublin was allocated 25 vouchers up to a maximum value of €2500 or 50% of elegible expenditure (Net of VAT), whichever is the lesser. All applicants must attend a 3 hour information seminar and there were two seminars held in South Dublin in 2014, of which a total of 58 businesses were represented at the sessions.

A total number of 31 applications were received, of which 17 companies were successful in receiving a voucher. The Local Enterprise Office South Dublin will continue to run the scheme during 2015, details can be found on https://www.localenterprise.ie/SouthDublin/  .

The Local Enterprise Office South Dublin will continue to promote this initiative in order to ensure that local small business keep up to date with the latest on line and e-commerce developments.