Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
454. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total amount invested by his Department in the development of remote working hubs since 2020; if all of these hubs are being fully utilised; if he has data in relation to the occupancy rate of the 400 Connected Hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73092/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra458. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total funding provided by his Department to local authorities to market and promote remote working hubs within their area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73096/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 458 together.
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. The Connected Hubs online platform was launched in May 2021 and is funded by my Department.
I was delighted to announce at the National Hub Summit recently that we have reached that key target and, as of the 8th of December, there are 401 hubs on-boarded to the Connected Hubs platform details of which are available on www.connectedhubs.ie. Funding for remote working facilities continues to form part of capital schemes within my department's Rural Development Investment Programme. These schemes provide funding for rural regeneration and renewal projects such as construction of community facilities, refurbishment of derelict buildings, etc. and include the development of remote working facilities in the range of items eligible for support. Thus, projects have been supported under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, LEADER, and the Rural Regeneration Development Fund in recent years which include development of remote working facilities. Many such projects are multi-functional and encompass multiple services e.g. youth centre, community centre, remote working space within the same facility such that it is not possible to determine the specific cost attributable to remote working.
My department also implemented targeted schemes in 2021 and 2022 to support the development of facilities in remote working hubs across Ireland to provide additional desk space and improve related services, such as privacy booths, technical equipment, meeting facilities and access controls. Almost €14 million was allocated across 200 projects under these schemes. In addition, the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme was implemented in 2022 to raise awareness of the Connected Hubs platform and to encourage greater usage of hubs.
Given the range of public and private ownership models in place for member hubs, my department does not have a direct role in day to day operational matters such as occupancy in individual hubs. It is also of note that not all hub bookings are via the connected hubs platform. However, as part of its role in managing the network on behalf of my department, the Western Development Commission is in ongoing contact with hub owners and managers on a range of operational and strategic issues. These engagements indicate an average usage rate of 78% of desk space, although usage patterns do differ across locations and time of the year.
