Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the steps that have been taken to support remote and hybrid working in urban areas of County Cork given the positive impact for communities and the reduction in commuter traffic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8395/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025.  

A number of funding streams operated by my Department directly support this commitment.  For example, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme both  support the establishment of new digital hubs. Under last year's schemes, projects that bring vacant properties in town centres back into use as remote working hubs were eligible to apply for funding. Projects that repurpose existing community or publicly owned buildings in town or village centres to facilitate remote working were also eligible.  

In addition, last year I awarded almost €9 million in funding through the Connected Hubs funding stream to add capacity to remote working infrastructure in digital hubs and broadband connection points throughout the country.  Details of successful applications, including those in County Cork, are available on my Department's website.  

Last May I launched the National Connected Hubs network together with the connectedhubs.ie platform.  The platform offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to members of the Network. There are currently 189 hubs live on the platform this number growing on an ongoing basis - 17 of these are located in County Cork.  

The National Hub Network includes a diverse range of hubs, services and facilities. The Network can thus facilitate a wide range of users, including individual users as well as companies of different sizes with varying requirements. Notwithstanding the clear benefits to individuals and families in terms of quality of life indicators, remote working from hubs will also support local economies, reduce carbon emissions and may arrest or reverse the depopulation of certain areas.  

The development of a national hubs network is a key commitment in Our Rural Future and I am committed to continuing my Department's support for the development of remote working hubs in recognition of the vital role that they can play in our post-Covid recovery.