Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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916. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of in-person visits made to remote working hubs by her whilst acknowledging the impact of Covid-19 restrictions; by county in the years 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35270/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025.

In furtherance of this commitment, my Department’s focus to date has been on strategically developing a national hubs network, adding capacity to Ireland's existing remote working infrastructure and supporting the establishment of new hubs.

Over €100m 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 are developed in collaboration with local authorities and communities with many projects seeing vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages converted into remote working hubs.

Last year I launched ConnectedHubs.ie, a shared online booking and payments platform for member hubs and their users. There are currently 249 remote and co-working facilities across the State on-boarded to the platform. This number is growing all the time meaning we are well on track to meet our target of 400 remote working hubs nationwide by 2025.

In tandem with the development of the National Hub Network, my department is also responsible for the development of the national network of Public Broadband Connection Points (BCPs). BCPs are publicly accessible sites, such as community centres and GAA clubs, in rural and isolated areas that make onsite internet services available to local communities. There are currently 273 of these community hubs completed and open to the public. The remaining 27 will be completed this year.

As the Deputy will appreciate, given the level of investment and support that my department provides to hubs and to remote workers, I am a frequent visitor to hubs across the country. While it is not possible to give an exact figure, I can confirm that during my Our Rural Future rural roadshows in 2021 and 2022 I have visited numerous hubs and BCPs all across rural Ireland, as well as regularly visiting hubs while on other business. The development of the National Hub Network remains a key priority in delivering on the Government's vision for rural Ireland, as outlined in Our Rural Future.