Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

43. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps that have been taken to ensure that areas such as Fingal, County Dublin and other areas relatively close to large urban centres have remote working hubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8758/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages. 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.    

My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on projects supporting remote working through the development of hubs and Broadband Connection Points as long-term, digitally-enabled community assets. To date, approximately €100 million has been provided by my Department through various funding streams to support the development of digital hubs and remote working facilities across Ireland 

My Department also supports the development of the Connected Hubs Network - connectedhubs.ie, - the platform offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to its members. There are currently 189 hubs live on the platform, with this number growing every week. 30 of these hubs are located in County Dublin.   

Last year I awarded almost €9 million in funding through the Connected Hubs funding stream to applicants across all regions. This included funding for a number of initiatives throughout County Dublin to add capacity to their remote working infrastructure, including the following remote working hubs - M-Space and The View in Malahide, Digital HQ and The Glasshouses in Dun Laoghaire, Ace Enterprise Park in Clondalkin and the Terenure Enterprise Centre in Terenure.

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 across Ireland.