Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to comment on it, albeit it briefly. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is especially interested in having a network of remote working hubs, particularly along the western side of the country. She sees the value in that. The Western Development Commission will play a role in developing that network. We want to a situation whereby someone could check a phone app to see where he or she could go to work remotely. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of options in rural Ireland to do that and make this approach viable. It is high on the Department's agenda. To my knowledge, the Secretary General chairs the cross-departmental group that is pushing this idea. For a variety of good reasons - Covid, well-being, lifestyle and environmental - this is a no-brainer in terms of where to put political priority now. The Vice Chairman's point is taken and we are working on it.

I will provide some figures. Budget 2021 allocated an additional €5 million to support the expansion of the hub network model into a national initiative. The interdepartmental working group I mentioned has been convened to progress this work and significant funding is being provided through the town and village renewal scheme and the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF. The town and village renewable scheme is providing €200,000 for the development of the Cavan digital hub and €150,000 to support the Ludgate hub in Skibbereen.

Rural regeneration and development funding of €2.9 million has been provided to support the development of eight different hubs, right across the Gaeltacht in particular. That is to directly address the Vice Chairman's point.