Pat Rabbitte the minister for communications announced the National Digital Strategy for Ireland to help keep spending by Irish consumers online in Ireland. As part of this strategy he wants to help Irish businesses get selling online. Why? Simple really, in 2012 it was recorded that 73% of spending online by Irish consumers was from outside of Ireland and the government wants to claim some of this back to put in the Irish economy.

Is your business located in any of these pilot areas:
Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Louth, Sligo or Waterford

If not have a look at other grants for website design from your local enterprise office.

If you do happen to be in one these pilot areas the Irish Government through your local enterprise office is offering a grant of €2,500 towards building and promoting your online selling presence?

The grant can be spent on any of the following:

• IT consultation
• Development or upgrade of an e-commerce website
• Implementing Online payments or booking systems
• Purchase of Internet related software
• Purchase of online advertising (this purchase cannot make up any more than 30% of approved Voucher costs and can only be drawn down in one payment phase)
• Developing an app (or multiplatform webpages)
• Implementing a digital marketing strategy i.e. Social media marketing
• Consultation with ICT experts for early stage adopters of online strategy
• Training/skills development specifically to establish and manage an on-line trading activity

It cannot be spent on these:

• Development of brochure websites (Keep in mind if you need a brochure website it is as simple as adding a payment form somewhere on your website)
• Purchase of non-internet related software
• Anything other than online trading related activity

To be eligible your business should have

• A limited online trading presence
• Less than 10 employees
• A turnover less than €2m
• Been registered and trading for at least 12 months

To obtain the grant you should attend a training seminar which will teach you what the the grant can be used for. If you have missed this seminar future ones will be held if the scheme is deemed to be successful, unfortunately for those in Dublin or Waterford this seminar has already happened. Kerry is to hold a seminar on 01/07/2014, Louth on 17/7/14, Cork West & North on 30/7/14. If you would like us to contact you the next time this grant is offered or future grants are available then get in tocuh.

We attended the Online Trading Voucher Seminar in Waterford and had a stand for customers to see. We will be attending future seminars too so keep an eye out.

For more information on the voucher you can read up on it here.

If you want to know if your project maybe eligible then contact us or your nearest enterprise office.