News & Events

Minister English announces €5m in grants to retail sector through Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme administered by Enterprise Ireland

133 retailers will receive funding via the scheme which aims to drive Irish retailers’ online sales at home and abroad

68% of successful applicants located outside Dublin

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 instore and online, and these grants will help businesses to really maximise the opportunities in the ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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.

ENDS

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

About Enterprise Ireland

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

About the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme

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 (e.g. website or social media) • have a retail outlet and derive the majority of revenue from retailing products directly to individual consumers:

  • Where a company provides both products and services, the applicant must provide a breakdown of sales revenue showing that products account for more than 50% of total revenue for a recent trading period, which may be up to the call close date;
  • Where a company has a mixture of business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) operations, the applicant must provide a breakdown of sales revenue showing that sales from B2C activities account for more than 50% of total revenue for a recent trading period, which may be up to the call close date;
  • Must employ at least 10 employees in the Republic of Ireland (on a full-time equivalent basis on or before 29 February 2020)

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 T.D.

Building on two previous successful calls of the Covid19 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. 

List of 133 approved companies under Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme

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

 

Meath

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

  1. 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