John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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722. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his Department’s strategy to expand connected hubs and remote-working infrastructure, including the potential for new hubs in Cork north-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67279/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development 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 the end of 2025.

I was delighted to announce at the National Hub Summit recently that we have reached that key target. As of the 24th of November, there are 401 hubs on-boarded to the Connected Hubs platform. In Cork North-West there are currently ten hubs on the platform while across County Cork there are 41 hubs on-boarded, increasing from 13 when the platform was launched in 2021.

My Department has also funded the Broadband Connection Points (BCP) initiative which provides free high-speed broadband WiFi access at 300 locations around the country. Over 60 of these BCPs have established remote working facilities and are on-boarded to the Connected Hubs platform. Details of all the on-boarded hubs are available at www.connectedhubs.ie.

My Department has invested significantly in the establishment and development of remote working hubs through the range of schemes which make up my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. This includes funding for the development of hubs under schemes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and LEADER. It is envisaged that this capital funding will continue as part of these schemes with a continued strategic focus for this investment.

In 2021 and 2022, a new targeted scheme was implemented to support the development of facilities in hubs across Ireland including additional desk space, privacy booths, technical equipment, meeting facilities and access control. Almost €14 million in funding to some 200 projects was allocated via the 'Connected Hub Calls'. In 2021 €425,456 was allocated in County Cork from this fund, with €515,971 allocated to the county in 2022.

A new national strategy for the hubs sector is now nearing completion and will present a coherent approach to the future development of digital hubs. Developed jointly with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Western Development Commission and, following consultation with key stakeholders, the strategy will include measures to underpin the sustainable development of the Connected Hubs network, support balanced regional economic development and enable access to digital services for rural communities.