Small businesses in Fingal set to receive online trading grants in July
The Local Enterprise Office in Fingal is reporting “unprecedented demand” for its on-line trading vouchers, with over 100 small business owners attending an information session about the scheme in Fingal this week.
Through the new grant scheme, launched for Fingal businesses by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D. in May, the Local Enterprise Office has been inundated with applications. As a result, the Head of Enterprise for Fingal, Oisin Geoghegan, is applying for additional funding from the Irish Government, to enable more small businesses to benefit from the scheme this year.
To help small business owners and micro-enterprises get the best return for their businesses, over 100 business owners attended a special briefing session at the Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown Hotel in Fingal this week.
The guest speakers today were Noel Davidson, a digital marketing specialist with QED, along with the team from Local Enterprise Office Fingal. Davidson outlined how small business owners could improve their website presence and trade more effectively on-line.
Under the scheme, small businesses will be able to spend up to €2,500 on this voucher, or up to a maximum of 50% of the relevant costs, to develop or upgrade their websites or to roll out their digital marketing strategies.
“For every €10 spent on-line by Irish consumers, research shows that €7 leaves the country and goes straight to foreign retailers,” said Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Local Enterprise Office Fingal. “By providing practical supports to Irish small business owners, such as the online trading voucher, a greater share of that consumer spend can be kept here at home. As Irish companies generate more sales and expand, that will generate more jobs locally too,” he added.
Most of the 100 small business owners at this week’s event are expected to apply for the on-line trading voucher and the grant recipients will be announced at the end of July, after a formal evaluation process has been completed.
Geoghegan said: “We’re announcing the first 25 recipients of the online trading voucher grant at the end of July. However, due to unprecedented demand, we expect that additional funding will be provided specifically for Fingal-based businesses, where there is a clear need owing to the appetite of our businesses to grow their online capabilities. If we are successful, these extra funds will enable more small businesses in this region to improve their online trading prospects.”
The online trading voucher scheme is open to companies registered in the Fingal County Council area, who have been trading for at least 12 months. The scheme is aimed at companies which employ fewer than 10 staff, with a turnover of less than €2 million. Further details about the supports available to businesses in Fingal is available through www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal.
The Local Enterprise Office in Fingal is part of a network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) nationwide and is funded by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund. The online trading voucher scheme is funded by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
L-R: Oisin Geoghegan - Head of Local Enterprise Office, Richard Bruton T.D - Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Paul Reid - Chief Executive Fingal County Council
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Sarah Bohan at Engage Ireland
T: 01 8855162 / 087 65 39936
E: office (at) engageireland.com
Notes to Editor:
About Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs):
As set out in the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, on 15th April 2014, “Local Enterprise Offices” (or “LEOs”), replaced the 35 County Enterprise Boards around the country. The LEOs have an expanded role in the provision of business supports and are based within the Local Authorities (www.localenterprise.ie)
The activities of the Fingal County Enterprise Board were taken over by Local Enterprise Office Fingal, which is based in County Hall in Swords. Oisín Geoghegan, former CEO of the Fingal County Enterprise Board, is now the new Head of Local Enterprise Office Fingal (www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal).
