From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
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Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Damien English, has today announced the successful applicants approved for funding through the third call of the COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme, which is administered by Enterprise Ireland. 133 retailers have been approved €5m in funding as part of the scheme, which is targeted at retailers who already have an online presence to strengthen their online offering and enable them to reach a wider customer base.
The scheme received 292 applications. 68% of the successful applicants are located outside Dublin with 90 retailers from these regions approved for funding.
Under this COVID-19 competitive call, the successful applicants will receive funding ranging from €14,080 to €40,000 to strengthen their online offering. The average grant value is €37,500 and covers up to 80% of project costs.
Minister Damien English TD said:
"There has been a verypositive response from the Irish retail sector to this call for applications under the COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme as Government continues to reach out and assist Irish businesses to transition and evolve as they trade through the impact of the pandemic.
"We know that consumers are keen to support their local retailers when shopping in store and online, and these grants will help businesses to really maximise the opportunities in the e-commerce market. Of course, this market is not limited by geography and we know that ambitious Irish businesses with strong online resources also have their eyes on selling to customers right across the globe.
"The economic value of operating in the ecommerce space and its convenience for customers has come to the fore since the onset of COVID-19 and the Online Retail Scheme will help companies improve and maximise their digital sales potential.
"The government continues to focus on helping businesses to get back on track in the coming months and as more of our workplaces and businesses reopen, in line with public health guidelines, we will do everything we can to support retailers in creating safe shopping spaces, in store and online, for customers and staff."
Ross O’Colmain, Department Manager, Construction, Timber, Cleantech and Consumer, Enterprise Ireland added:
"The COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme continues to attract a large volume of applications from retailers and it’s clear that Irish businesses are keenly aware of the growing e-commerce opportunities both at home and abroad for online retail. Enterprise Ireland is committed to increasing the capability of Irish enterprises to increase their export sales.
"Whether new to e-commerce or already operating a transactional website this scheme aims to facilitate a step change for each of the successful applicants in the operation of an efficient online sales platform that complements their physical stores.
"Grants through this scheme are being used by retailers to upgrade their systems to improve their digital presence and to become more competitive in the virtual marketplace. This is helping to broaden their customer base and grow sales with some companies reporting that they are recruiting extra staff as result.
"Ultimately, retailers who are investing in their online presence will be more resilient and better able to take advantage of evolving market opportunities."
Siobhan Geoghegan, Managing Director of Geoghegan’s department store in Navan said:
"We are delighted to get grant funding through the COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of a strong online presence for our business and this scheme has enabled us to accelerate our online plans, allowing us to bring our excellent customer service from 70 years of retail experience online. We are excited to continue building on our digital offering to further complement and evolve the business in the future."
The Online Retail Scheme was open to Irish-based retailers with a physical store and a pre-existing online presence who employ 10 or more people. In addition, the scheme focuses on retailers predominantly selling products to individual consumers as opposed to those selling mainly to business customers. Grants can be used to fund fees for service providers, develop and implement a digital strategy supported by in-house training and enhance the retailer’s website.
The scheme is complementary to the Trading Online Voucher Scheme by the Local Enterprise Offices that offers funding of €2,500 to businesses of up to 10 employees.
The 133 retailers awarded funding, operate across a broad spectrum of sectors including jewellery, fashion, sports, homeware and furniture, healthcare, electrical goods and equipment.
Photos will be issued by Maxwell Photography and are available on request.
For further information please contact:
Brigid Burke, Press and Media Relations, Enterprise Ireland, 087 1803995 brigid.burke@enterprise-ireland.com
Enterprise Ireland is the Irish State agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness. In this way, we support sustainable economic growth and regional development, and help create and sustain employment in Ireland. www.enterprise-ireland.com
Supporting the Irish retail sector to embed a more sophisticated online trading (e-tailing) strategy in its business model can contribute to the continued viability of a cohort of retail companies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and help position them for recovery. Applicant companies must be an Irish-based retail enterprise that had 10 or more employees on or before 29 February 2020 and has the potential to sustain or create jobs, generate growth in online transactions and with an ambition to internationalise their business in future.
The business must also have an existing online presence (for example: website or social media); and have a retail outlet and derive the majority of revenue from retailing products directly to individual consumers:
The Scheme originated in the work of the Retail Consultation Forum which is chaired by the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD.
Building on two previous successful calls of the COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme, introduced by the Department arising from the work of the Retail Consultation Forum, applications for the 2021 scheme were open to indigenous retailers to develop a more competitive online offer in response to the COVID-19 crisis and to strengthen business resilience.
| Company name | Trading as | County |
| Agri-Auto Parts (Kerry) Ltd | Kerry | |
| Aidan Clarke And Company Ltd | Cavan | |
| Aines Boutique Ltd | Longford | |
| Anjnj Ltd | ITSTAR | Dublin |
| Anthony Nicholas Ltd | Fields Retail Ltd | Dublin |
| Aquilini Ltd | Neville Jewellers | Cork |
| Ar Pharmacies Ltd | Crowley's Pharmacy | Cork |
| Ardkeen Superstores Ltd | Ardkeen Quality Food Store | Waterford |
| Ard-Ri Marble Mantelpieces Ltd | Fitzgibbon Interiors | Kerry |
| Aurivo Co-Operative Society Ltd | Homeland Retail Stores | Sligo |
| Avondale Landscapes Ltd | Joly’s Garden Centre | Wicklow |
| Badger Home Furnishings Ltd | MacCarthy Interiors | Cork |
| Ballinlough O'Sullivans Pharmacy Ltd | O'Sullivans Pharmacy | Cork |
| Ballybofey Autofactors Ltd | Donegal | |
| Bellababy Ltd | Bella Baby Ltd | Galway |
| Best Unltd Company | BEST MENSWEAR | Dublin |
| Boles Of Boyle Ltd | Roscommon | |
| Brian De Staic Teoranta | Brian de Staic Jewellers | Kerry |
| Brightsont Ltd | Discount Supplements | Wicklow |
| Brockvale Ltd | Stephen Street News / CraftCentral.ie | Dublin |
| Byron Distributors Ltd | Paul Byron Shoes | Roscommon |
| Cara Pharmacy Unltd Company | Donegal | |
| Conways Sligo Bookshop Ltd | "Eason Sligo", "The Hobby Shop" and "Sligo Schoolbooks" | Sligo |
| Deerhaven Jervis Ltd | Fun Place | Dublin |
| Dermot Kehoe Supply & D.I.Y. Ltd | Wexford | |
| Designer Exchange Ltd | Dublin | |
| Designist Innovators Ltd | Designist | Dublin |
| Desino Ltd | Jenny's Boutique | Meath |
| Drumrahan Retail Ltd | Agri Direct | Cavan |
| Evergreen Healthfoods Ltd | Galway | |
| Fagan Office Supplies Ltd | Fagans Mullingar | Westmeath |
| Fallon & Byrne Ltd | Dublin | |
| Fernhill Garden Centre Ltd | Westmeath | |
| Fishers of Newtownmountkennedy Ltd | Wicklow | |
| Flanagans Interiors Ltd | FlanaganKerins | Wicklow |
| Furbo Sandfield Ltd | McCambridge's of Galway | Galway |
| Geoghegans Navan Ltd | Meath | |
| Gerry Matthews Engineering Ltd | Toolfix | Louth |
| Graham Shoes Ltd | Dublin | |
| Greenacres (Wexford) Ltd | Green Acres | Wexford |
| Greenaer Mobility Ltd | Dublin | |
| Greenes Hardware & Farm Supplies Ltd | Galway | |
| Greggs Ltd | Card Gallery | Dublin |
| Gym Plus Coffee Ltd | Dublin | |
| H P Corrigan Ltd | Corrigan's Pharmacy | Dublin |
| Heavins Hardware Centre Ltd | Westmeath | |
| Heels and Wardrobe Ltd | Wardrobe Plus | Wicklow |
| Hores Stores Ltd | Wexford | |
| Horkans Garden Centre Ltd | Mayo | |
| J. McKenna Ltd | Kerry | |
| J.R.G Investment Company Ltd | Galvin For Men | Westmeath |
| Janet Dillon Pharmacy Ltd | Dublin | |
| Jenhel Retail Company Ltd | The Baby Shop | Cork |
| Joe Simon Building Supplies Ltd | Joe Simon Home Garden & Build and Expert Electrical | Roscommon |
| John Mcelhinney Unltd Company | McElhinney's | Donegal |
| Jones Garden Centre Ltd | Dublin | |
| Juvi Ltd | Dublin | |
| K & K Windows Ltd | Wexford | |
| K.K Interiors Ltd | Kavanagh's | Dublin |
| Kilquade Patio Centre Ltd | Meath | |
| Kjt Motors Ltd | Fairyhouse Motors | Meath |
| Lampai An Daingean Teoranta | Louis Mulcahy Pottery | Kerry |
| Lusk Motor Factors Ltd | SMF | Dublin |
| M & G Walshpharm Hacketstown Ltd | Carlow | |
| Mangan Pharmacies Ltd | Mangan Pharmacy | Kildare |
| Manstelt Ltd | McGreals | Wicklow |
| Marella Fashions Ltd | Ela Maria | Limerick |
| Matthew Britton Carpets Ltd | Wicklow | |
| Mc Laughlin Motor Factors Ltd | Donegal | |
| Mcdowells Jewellers Ltd | Dublin | |
| Mcgregor Homefront Ltd | Cork | |
| Mckenna Man Holdings Ltd | McKenna Man | Louth |
| Meagher's Pharmacy Online Sales Ltd | Dublin | |
| Medipharm Retail Holdings Ltd | Medipharm | Dublin |
| Meubles (Ireland) Ltd | Kilkenny | |
| Midland Hardware Ltd | Laois | |
| Mike Walsh Pharmacy Ltd | Cork | |
| Milltown Pharmacy Ltd | WonderBaba | Dublin |
| Mitchell & Son, Wine Merchants, Ltd | Dublin | |
| Molloy Holdings Ltd | Molloys Liquor Stores | Dublin |
| Monica Tolan Beauty & Skincare Clinics Ltd | Dublin | |
| Mulligans Chemist Ltd | Mulligans Pharmacy | Waterford |
| Murphy's Ice Cream Ltd | Kerry | |
| Murray and Son, Ltd | Cork | |
| N & D Pharmacy Ltd | True Pharmacy | Dublin |
| National Tile Ltd | Louth | |
| Navan Hire Hardware & Safety Training Ltd | Navan | |
| Ncdc Pharmacy Ltd | Glengarriff Pharmacy | Cork |
| Noel Fay Fitted Furniture Ltd | The Carpentry Store | Kildare |
| O Coileáin Foods Company Ltd | The Scarlet Heifer | Dublin |
| O' Reilly Mescall Ltd | Reads Design & Print | Dublin |
| O'Briens Wine Off-Licence Unltd Company | Dublin | |
| O'Leary Opticians Ltd | Mairead O'Leary Opticians | Dublin |
| O'Meara's Nursery & Garden Centre Ltd | Westmeath | |
| Omg Entertainment Ltd | Galway | |
| Orielglen Trading Ltd | Arthur Mallon's Food Hall | Monaghan |
| Oyster Motors Ltd | Jody's Spar Craughwell | Galway |
| Patrick J. Lavelle (Chemist) Ltd | Mayo | |
| Pauls Ltd | Kilkenny | |
| Perry Street Market Cafe Ltd | Cork | |
| Pet Food Depot Ltd | Dublin | |
| Petworld Stores (Letterkenny) Ltd | Donegal | |
| Pharmadirect Distribution Ltd | Pharmadirect.ie & Sheahan's Pharmacy (Killarney) | Kerry |
| Pixsavers Ltd | Kildare | |
| Poleglen Ltd | Rochford's Pharmacy | Clare |
| Polka Dots & Pinstripes Ltd | Ruby Rouge | Wexford |
| Procrop Ireland Ltd | HLS | Meath |
| Project Tile Design Ltd | Project | Dublin |
| R.A Tierney & Company Ltd | Tierneys Gifts | Dublin |
| Rolsford Ltd | McSport | Dublin |
| Rooms and Blooms Ltd | Wexford | |
| Rosscarbery Pharmacy Ltd | Cork | |
| Savins Music Centre Ltd | Limerick | |
| Sayerscourt (Grafton Street) Ltd | Health Matters | Dublin |
| Seamus Quinn and Sons Ltd | Adamsons Quinn Pharmacy | Mayo |
| Spinnaker Marine Ltd | Viking Marine | Dublin |
| Spirit Clothing Ltd | Longford | |
| Sundrive Pharmacy Ltd | McSharrys Pharmacy | Galway |
| The American Candle Company Ltd | Yankee's | Galway |
| The County Boutique Unltd Company | Clare | |
| The Cycle Superstore Ltd | Dublin | |
| The General Health Food Store (Dublin) Ltd | Nourish | Dublin |
| The Hopsack Ltd | Dublin | |
| Thomas Lenehan & Co., Ltd | Lenehans Hardware | Dublin |
| Tony Kealy Ltd | Dublin | |
| Trant's Pharmacy Ltd | Kerry | |
| Tullybrack Ltd | Cottage Pharmacy | Louth |
| Tullys Pharmacy (Castlerea) Ltd | Tullys Totalhealth Pharmacy | Roscommon |
| Tynestyle Trading Ltd | Here's Health | Cork |
| Vaughan Footwear Ltd | Vaughan Shoes | Mayo |
| Whelehans Wines Ltd | Dublin | |
| Winelab Ltd | Kildare | |
| Xmusic Ireland Ltd | Dublin |