Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1464, 1465 and 1466 together.

One of the key focuses of Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy 2021 - 2025, is optimising digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities. I want to close the digital divide between rural and urban communities and ensure that those living in rural communities are provided with the same opportunities as those in larger urban areas. I am working to achieve this ambition by providing significant funding and support through my Department.

Over €150m has been invested by my department in the development of remote working facilities through programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, and the Connected Hubs Call. Successful projects were developed in collaboration with local authorities and communities with vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages converted into remote working hubs.

In 2021 I launched connectedhubs.ie, a shared online booking and payments platform for member hubs and their users. The network includes a diverse range of hubs, services and facilities, thus facilitating individual remote workers and companies of different sizes. There are currently 330 remote and co-working facilities across the country on-boarded to the platform. An interactive map is available on connectedhubs.ie that shows the location and details of each remote working hub on the network.

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are public locations which have been selected to receive high-speed connectivity as part of the National Broadband Plan. The locations of the BCPs have been selected by local authorities and include public areas such as community halls, libraries, sports facilities, enterprise hubs, tourist locations and other public spaces, such as community centres and sports clubs. They are located in rural and isolated areas including on a number of off-shore islands and support remote working, digital skills training and a range of community initiatives. Local authorities were involved in the identification and selection of these sites which closed at the end of 2020 resulting in 284 public sites identified for a broadband connection in the intervention area of the National Broadband Plan. In addition, 16 further sites adjacent to and serving the wide intervention area were identified specifically for remote working. 294 BCPs have been connected and are now in operation with remaining sites to be connected by the end of 2023.

As the selection process for new BCPs is now closed, additional sites cannot be connected. However, if a site withdraws from the BCP programme, the local authority can choose to move the equipment to a replacement site. The Partry Community Centre in Co Mayo is one of these replacement sites and is in the process of becoming a remote working BCP which will give them access to programmes run for BCPs as well as the opportunity to join the Connected Hub network.

The development strategy for BCPs is ongoing and will be finalised in the New Year. The strategy will consider the scaling up of successful pilot projects, including eHealth, remote working, arts and culture and digital skills programmes. My Department is also currently leading on the formulation of a National Hub Strategy to chart the future strategic direction of the hubs sector, which the BCP network is a part of. Key to this approach is close consultation with stakeholders and our partners across government.

I am committed to ensuring that the National Hub Network and the Broadband Connection Points will continue to make a central contribution to the achievement of the Government's vision for rural Ireland, as set out in Our Rural Future.