Ms Orla Martin:

I will add a comment on the role of the broadband officers. There are 31 broadband officers across the local authority network and they are playing a significant role between the providers and the funders. They are identifying the different black spots both for broadband and mobile phone coverage. They are involved in many different pilots and funding applications. They are developing regional and local digital plans also. They are accessing funding independently and feeding in to the national picture. They are doing a good deal in that area. For example, they are working with LEADER-funded community hubs as well as Enterprise Ireland and different agencies and providers around the region. We work very closely with LEADER.

In terms of curriculum, from our point of view, the LEOs are heavily involved in the delivery of entrepreneurship programmes through the student enterprise programme. It is the largest programme throughout the country in terms of involvement with students. It is something we would like added to the curriculum. We are in discussions with the Department of Education and Skills on that.

To refer to the questions and comments on collaboration, it must be remembered that a number of the newly launched regional enterprise plans contain strategic objectives and supporting actions regarding remote working. The groups working on the regional action plans are completely collaborative across all areas and stakeholders, including enterprise, all the agencies and related bodies. That is very useful. Even in Offaly, in terms of being part of the midlands one, there are different initiatives to improve the remote working connectivity between the hubs and also to look at a campaign to approach companies in Dublin to encourage remote working and to determine the interest in coming back and setting up in the midlands. What might be useful in terms of overall co-ordination is the sharing of information on best practice among the different plans across the country.

The promotion of remote working to the larger employers would be very useful. We sent details on that. In the LEO in Offaly we are organising a half-day conference during enterprise week on practical insights and guides for both employers and employees. There is definitely a growing momentum for remote and smart working but it would be great to have additional education and learning around it.